Don't forget, ya ain't alone, darlin'
by Dark Phoenix Rising
Summary: Suddenly alone with Scott's unborn child due to an accident on a mission, Jean has to try dealing with her new situation and gets help from one of her best friends. Can Logan support her despite his feelings for her and what will it lead them to? Ch 29 UP
1. Chapter 1

**Author's note: **Here is a new story by me. I came up with it a few days ago and up to now I have already pre written 17 chapters. Since the chapters are short, I think I will assemble some chapters. Hope you guys like it. Just let me know what you think and let's hope that the server works correctly soon again. : ( Please review!!

**All non-Marvel characters are my ****invention, same goes for the story. Any other characters and their background belong to Marvel.**

**Don't forget, ya ain't alone, darlin'**

Logan laid in bed after a more or less calm week and turned around in his surprisingly calm sleep. It was past midnight and the whole mansion, also its grounds, were calm, but somehow something was quiet right. He could feel subconsciously feel it and turned once more in his sleep, this time stirring a bit. After doing this for some time, he finally sat up, his hair was messy than ever and stuck up into every possible direction, but right now he didn't care. He needed to know what was wrong and what his senses picked up on even when he was in deep slumber. While he ran both hands through his tired face, he suddenly frowned and turned his head towards the door. He could hear it now. Clearly and loudly due to his senses and was out of bed in an instant to run out of his door. When Logan stopped in front of Jean's, he heard it even louder that she was crying aloud. Not hesitating, he reached out to knock on the door and didn't wait for her reply to enter. Inside, he found her laying on her bed that she shared with Scott usually, but who was on a mission for some days already. She held her pillow in a firm grip and cried heartrendingly into it that he instantly began to worry and closed the door behind him. "Jean?" Logan asked calmly and sat down on the edge of the bed next to her. Hearing him, she raised her head and looked up through red and wet eyes, which worried him the more. Something, he felt, has happened and this something was terrible.

"Logan…," the redhead sobbed and he was surprised when she threw herself at him, just to start crying again.

Not knowing what to do he held her and looked down on her shaking body. "What happened, Jean?" he asked and scanned her body for any injuries. "Is something wrong with your baby?" he added, knowing that the woman was 5 months pregnant with Scott's baby. He heard her mumbling something through her sobs, a desperate attempt to answer him, but also an unsuccessful one. "Calm down first, Jeannie," Logan said and began to stroke over her back in hope it would soothe her somehow, waiting for her to calm down a bit.

After a moment, Jean heaved a deep breath, still holding onto him for dear life, but finally able to talk a bit. "Something went…wrong on the mission," she sniffed and buried her face in her hands again, while he gave her a confused look. As far as he knew and had experienced before, there was always something that went wrong on their missions.

"Has Scott gotten hurt?" Logan asked carefully and watched her shaking her head.

"There was an accident," she replied barely audible instead and stared at the blanket through empty eyes.

"What accident?" he asked calmly and pulled some strands out of her pale face.

"They've been attacked," Jean said in the same voice and shook her head again before she buried her face in her hands, beginning to rock slowly back and forward. "He…he's fallen from a cliff…"

Letting the news sink in, Logan noticed that she began to pull a face again and laid a hand on her shoulder. "Jean,…this doesn't have to mean anything," he tried to soothe her, but she shook her head again and looked up to look into his eyes with her empty ones.

"It happened fours days ago, Logan," she cried. "They've tried to find him…," she added barely audible after a moment and her shoulders began to shake once more.

"Nevertheless, it doesn't have to mean anything, Jean," Logan said again and made her look up. He hated to see her suffering so much, especially when it was because of Scott. But he soon noticed that it didn't help her at all, since she clung to him again.

"They've looked everywhere for him," Jean sobbed and buried her face into his bare chest. "He's dead, Logan… He's dead…" Not knowing what else to do, Logan wrapped his arms around her shaking form to pull her close and began to rock her slow back and forth…

**I know this one is short, but see it as a Prologue. ; ) Please review and let me know if I should continue with it or not. **


	2. Chapter 2

**Author's note:** **All non-Marvel characters are my invention, same goes for the story. Any other characters and their background belong to Marvel.**

Thanks to all reviewers!!! This chapter contains my pre-written chapters 2-4. As I said, they are pretty short. ; )

**Don't forget, ya ain't alone, darlin'**

Having fallen asleep during her sobs, Jean's head rested in Logan's arms while he still sat on the bed and stroked absently through her hair. He didn't know what to think or how to deal with the situation. Knowing that Scott was dead, even if he still had his doubts or better hoped it wasn't true for her sake, he thought about her and the unborn child she was carrying. He had no experience with babies or children at all, even if he lived at a school. For him children were strangers, since he couldn't remember what being a child was like. Trying to imagine that he would have to raise a child alone… Logan awoke from his daydream when the redhead in his arms suddenly stirred. Thinking that she was about to wake up, he didn't dare to move but realized soon that she was still deeply asleep. It was good that she was, he thought and cracked his neck since it began to feel stiff. He felt how he slowly began to feel tired again and looked around to find a solution to his current, uncomfortable position.

When Jean woke up hours later, the first thing she noticed was the headache she had due to her crying, before she realized that she was still laying in his arms. She turned her head to see that Logan rested against the head of the bed and was obviously still in a deep slumber, before she sat up and ran both hands through her tired face. She still couldn't and refused to believe it. With a sigh she closed her eyes briefly, as he suddenly heaved a deep breath and opened his eyes, too. "You better?" Logan asked her drowsily before he got slowly up to stretch his sore muscles. "I get ya somethin' to eat, okay?" he offered since she remained silence and left the room to head down to the kitchen, where he ran into the X-Men that had been on the mission. He noticed the depressed mood, but since he didn't know what to say in such a situation, he only gave them a brief nod and began to prepare breakfast.

"Scott's dead," Ororo suddenly said without looking up from the cup she held in her hands and he turned his head briefly to give her a nod. He could tell that never before in his time at the school he'd seen her so tired and crushed. He knew about the relationship of Scott, Jean and Ororo and that all three had practically grown up together.

"I know," he replied and paid attention to his work again, not noticing the surprised look of the others.

"How?" Ororo asked with a frown and exchanged a look with Bobby and Rogue, but both shook their heads.

"Jean told me," Logan simply said and put the things onto a tray, which Ororo noticed with a frown.

"What are you doing, Logan?!" she demanded to know when he turned around with the tray in his hands. As she's thought she had it figured out, she slammed her cup onto the counter. "Don't even think about it! I warn you!"

"What are ya talkin' about?" Logan asked her with a cocked eyebrow, since he didn't understand her sudden change of mood or why her eyes glared into his.

"Logan, I warn you," she hissed again and pointed a finger at him. "Don't even dare to think that just because Scott is dead, you could try to hit on Jean!"

Hearing it, he couldn't help but stare at her speechlessly first, before anger began to rise in him. "What do ya think of me, Storm?!" he asked her angrily and returned the glare she gave him. "Mind your own damn business!" he added with a hiss and left the room to ascend the stairs and return to Jean's room. There, he put the tray onto the bedside table after noticing that she was crying again, but she shook her head.

"I'm not hungry," Jean said in a weak voice and without looking up when he sat down next to her.

"You need to think about the kid, Jean," Logan reminded her and she sighed heavily before she ran both hands through her face.

Again she shook her head and her hands dropped into her lap. "I don't know how to do this…"

"Do what?" he asked her calmly and poured a cup with tea for her.

"Everything," Jean replied and reluctantly took it from him.

"Here are enough people who can and will help ya," Logan tried to cheer her up a bit, but the look she gave him spoke volumes.

"That's not the same, Logan…," she sighed. "And you know that."

Nodding, he got up and buried his hands in his jeans pockets before he gave the tray a nod. "Eat a bit and then try to sleep a bit more, okay?" he asked her and waited for a nod. "I'll come back later." Turning around he walked over to the door where he stopped again. "Don't forget ya ain't alone, darlin'. I'm here for ya."

When she looked up she gave him a weak smile. "Thank you," Jean said calmly and he smiled back before he left.

* * *

A few days later the Professor had arrange a small ceremony in the garden on the mansion to give everyone the change to say good-bye to Scott and also make it possible for his former team leader to have the proper burial he deserved. While most of the students and staff were already on the outside, Logan, dressed in a black suit and a white shirt, walked down the corridor towards the staircase on his way to Jean's room. Since the redhead had asked him if he could go down with her and he'd agreed, he was about to ascend the stairs, when he ran into Ororo, who was obviously waiting for him. With her arms crossed and a more or less sour look on her face, she leant against the banister. "Where are you going?" she demanded to know and gave him an already knowing look, but he only buried his hands in his pockets and gave her a warning glare.

"What's it to you?" Logan grunted back with a cocked eyebrow.

"Logan, I want you to stay away from Jean," she hissed through gritted teeth and was about to say something else, when he began to ascend the stairs.

"I told ya before," he growled. "Mind your own damn business, Storm!"

Reaching out she quickly grabbed his wrist to stop him. "You're a bastard for exploiting her in such a situation, you know that?" Ororo asked him angrily. "She's vulnerable due to her grief and you're making use of that! How can you do this?!"

Giving her a snort only, Logan pulled his arms roughly away and proceeded to ascend the stairs. Upstairs he knocked on Jean's door and got inside, finding her, dressed in a black robe, near the window where she stared at the white rose in her hands. Pausing at the door for a moment, he finally walked over to her. "You ready?" Logan asked calmly. "It's time…"

Looking up, Jean gave him a weak nod and came slowly closer, just to stop in front of him. He looked back at her, saw the sadness and pain in her eyes and it made him feel sick to the core to see her suffering so much. She suddenly closed her eyes and leant forward to rest her head against his chest. Not knowing what else to do, Logan began to stroke over her back and heard her heaving a deep breath before she leant back again. "Ready?" he asked once more and she nodded. He laid a hand on her back to lead her out of the room and down into the garden, where he ignored the stilly angry and scornful look Ororo gave him. He took the seat next to Jean, as she'd requested from him, and was ready to hold her hand if necessary when Charles moved over towards the grayish stone with Scott's name on it. He looked at it and the small candle that burned in front of it, accompanied by some flowers and thought once more that he knew why he never went to funerals. He just wasn't made for them…

"I thought the whole night what I can possibly say," he heard Charles suddenly saying and switched his attention back to him. Never before had he seen the Professor like that. To him it appeared as if the man had rapidly aged and was now at least 20 years older. "Scott was a great man," Charles continued and he looked up from the stone to take a look around the students and staff, of which some were crying in silence while other could only stare at some distant points. "Not only as the man he was, also as my former student, your teacher and our team leader. We all deeply regret and feel the loss and I know that no one of you will forget him."

Logan briefly looked aside to look at the redhead next to him. Somehow he began to feel worried since she didn't show the tiniest reaction. All she did was staring at the rose in her hands through empty eyes. He hardly noticed that the Professor had asked for a minute of silence and he, as the others, got up to stare at the ground. Another look to the side showed him that Jean had her eyes closed and he was about to turn his gaze to the grass underneath him, as he suddenly heard her beginning to sob. Seeing that she was about to drop to the ground, Logan quickly caught her fall and glided slowly to the ground with her in his arms. The others watched in silence how the redhead clung to him, crying heartrendingly, while he rocked her slowly back and forth in hope to soothe her. Hank briefly looked aside, noticing Ororo's scornful and angry look, and remembered what she'd told him earlier before. If that what she thought was really true, than he liked the man even less than he already did.

"Logan," Charles said and the man looked up. "Would you please bring her back inside and make sure she lays down?"

Nodding, Logan carefully pulled the heavily crying woman up and carried her back to the mansion, followed by the looks of the others. Most of them were full of sympathy for the woman, while two of them only exchanged a look with each other.

* * *

A few hours later, Logan carefully knocked on Charles' office door before he entered. Seeing that all X-Men, also a blue, furry guy he didn't know, where gathered in it, he closed the door behind him and buried his hands in his pockets. "How is she?" the Profesor asked him.

"She's sleepin'," Logan replied and earned a thankful nod of the man.

"I know it's probably the wrong time to talk about this," the older man continued and folded his hands," …especially after what happened to Scott, but we still have to find out what Eric wants."

"I doubt that he's up to any good, Charles," Hank said and Logan couldn't help but chuckle low.

"Oh really?" he said. "What news…"

"Shut up, Logan!" Ororo instantly snapped at him with narrowed eyes.

"Please!" Charles intervened. "I doubt this is the right time." He looked to and fro between the three adults, while the four younger X-Men remained silent on the sofa. "By the way, I just noticed that you don't know each other. Logan this is…"

"…the furry secretary. I know," Logan grunted and crossed his arms, showing once more how much he liked government people.

Only nodding, Charles looked at Hank. "Hank this is…," he began when Hank cut him off this time and crossed his arms, too, not hiding his dislike for the other man.

"The Wolverine," he nodded. "I know. I heard he was quiet the animal…"

Hearing the insult, Logan snorted. "Look who's talkin'," he growled. "Where's Beauty, Beast?" Receiving a snarl from the other man for his insult, Logan began to growl, too.

"Would the two of you stop it, please?" the Professor said a bit more sharply. He ran a hand through his face and sighed. "I will try to locate Eric with Cerebro, even if I think that I won't be successful. He's still blocking me with his helmet. In the meanwhile I wish that everyone stays on alert for any threat possible."

"You think Magneto's going to attack us?" Rogue asked slightly scarred.

"I don't know, Marie," Charles shook his head. "It's possible that he might attack us, since we're currently leaderless and have to regroup. But I doubt that he would do this…" He briefly paused before he looked at Ororo. "You know that with Jean being pregnant and in no mental or physical state to fight, it is you who is next in command." Only nodding, Ororo looked down on her hands. "Hank, can we count on you?"

"Of course you can, Charles," the man replied with a determined nod and received a thankful one in return. "But I think we should fly back and see if we can surprise Magneto somehow. As you said, he thinks we're leaderless. It would be the perfect time for an attack."

"He's right," Ororo agreed after a moment. "Magneto will think we're incapable of fighting due to our grief. He would never reckon with it…"

"Are you sure you can do this?" the Professor asked them concerned, but everyone nodded except Logan. "Alright, then you have my okay…"

Back upstairs, Logan opened the door to Jean's room quietly to check on her and was surprised to see her staying at the window. "Hey, I thought you're still sleepin'," he said and closed the door behind him.

"No," she shook her head and turned around. "I didn't sleep very long… Where have you been?"

Hesitating first, he sat down on her bed. "With Chuck," was all he told her and watched how she raised an eyebrow.

"What did he want?" Jean asked calmly but he waved off. "Logan… What did he want?"

Not knowing if he should tell her or not, he thought she would find out anyway if all the X-Men were gone. "He…want us to go back to Magneto… Or better that Furball thought we should do a surprise attack," he finally replied and waited for a reaction from her. First, there was none, but suddenly she began to shake her head rapidly.

"No!" Jean panted and walked backwards a bit, making him get up in case he would drop to the ground again. "No…," she said once more. "You can't go!"

"Jean," Logan tried to soothe her and raised a hand, but she began to cry.

"Something terrible will happen, you can't go," she sobbed panicky. "Please, don't go!"

"I promise, nothin' will happen, Jean," he tried to calm her once more and was about to reach out when she suddenly grimaced as if she was in pain and dropped to her knees. Seeing it, he instantly felt panic risen within him and knelt down next to her. "Jean, what's wrong?" Logan asked, laying a hand on her shoulder and heard her sobbing aloud in pain. Not knowing what to do, he let his eyes travel over her body and noticed that her hands were clenched into fists, while one rested on her belly. Since her sobs became more and more mixed with painful groans, Logan pulled her quickly up and began to run down to the infirmary…

**That's it for today. I hope can upload the following chapter tomorrow. Please let me know what you guys think! ; ) See ya!**


	3. Chapter 3

**Author's note:** **All non-Marvel characters are my invention, same goes for the story. Any other characters and their background belong to Marvel.**

Thanks to all reviewers!!! This chapter contains my pre-written chapters 5-6. As I said, they are pretty short. ; )

**Don't forget, ya ain't alone, darlin'**

Logan couldn't tell for how many minutes he was already waiting in front of the infirmary, as suddenly Storm and the Professor exited the elevator and rushed to his side. "What happened?" the woman asked him breathlessly and he figured out that's he must have been running and that the Professor had probably felt something was wrong.

"I don't know," he replied truthfully, remained with his arms cross at the opposite wall to the huge, round double door and still stared holes into it. "She was suddenly in pain…"

Exchanging a look with Ororo first, the Professor quickly moved his wheelchair over to the door and disappeared behind it.

"You told her didn't you?" Ororo asked Logan and crossed her arms with a glare. The look he gave her spoke volumes. "Hoe could you tell her that we go onto this mission after what happened?!"

"'f course she wouldn't have noticed if we were gone for a few days, eh?" he snapped back and turned his head back to the door.

"Jean is not your business, Logan!" came her reply. "I can't believe that you're really trying on hitting on her."

"I told you twice that it's none of your fuckin' business, Storm!" Logan shot back, not hiding his anger, but the woman stepped closer, clearly fuming with anger.

"Jean is like a sister for me, so it is my business!" she hissed in a low voice.

Chuckling, Logan nodded. "If she was your sister, Storm, you'd be there for her 24/7!" he gave back with a glare. About to reply something, the door suddenly opened and Hank came out. "How is she?" Logan instantly asked and let go of the wall behind him.

Looking behind him, Hank sighed. "She's weak and needs a lot of rest," he explained briefly.

Waiting for him to say something else, but realizing that the man wouldn't say more, Logan put his hands on his waist. "Why was she in pain?" he demanded to know and held the odd look the blue mutant gave him.

"It's obviously been early labors due to the stress she goes currently through," Hank finally said and crossed his arms.

"Has she lost the baby?" Ororo asked frightened, but he shook his head.

"I was able to stop them, but as I said she needs a lot of rest and to be careful," he soothed her and she let out a relieved sigh.

"I wanna see her," Logan grunted without even caring to look at Storm, who has instantly turned towards him.

"Logan, she's…," the woman began to protest, but he just walked past them and entered the infirmary where he stopped next to Jean's bed. Looking at her, he reached out to stroke over her hand carefully. When she'd looked pale and exhausted before, it was even worse now. There were clearly visible dark rings under her eyes and she looked as ifs he hadn't slept in years. Beginning to feel worried for her, Logan looked up to meet the Professor's eyes. "I ain't comin' with 'em," he said determined. "I ain't leavin' her side."

"Once more, I said she's not your business!" Ororo hissed behind him again, making him turn around with a low growl.

"Shut up, Storm!" he growled as he heard how the Professor began to move his wheelchair and beckoned them to follow him. Protesting first, Logan finally gave in and reluctantly left the infirmary and followed them up to Charles' office.

Later, he stood next to Jean's bed again and held her hand while he stroked over her palm subconsciously. He thought about the Professor's words and that he had reminded him of the necessity of the mission, even if he could understand his worries. Still, he didn't feel well by thinking of her being alone and all adults being gone on that mission. At least he had managed to talk them into leaving tomorrow and not today, he thought as Jean suddenly stirred and opened her eyes. "Hey," Logan smiled and bent down a bit when she turned her head to look at him through tired eyes. He noticed that it took her a moment to realize where she was and he reached quickly out to stop her as she was about to sit up rapidly. "The baby's fine, Jean."

Shaking a bit, she touched her belly and waited for something that confirmed what he'd just told her. "What happened?" she asked instead and laid back down.

"The Furball said you'd early labors due to the stress and everythin'," Logan explained calmly. "The kid's fine, but he said you need to rest a lot and be careful."

Nodding the redhead ran a hand through her face and gave the two IV's next to her a look. All she remembered was the pain and then darkness. "What time is it?"

"Past midnight," he said calmly. "Is it okay for ya when I stay here?" he added after a moment and Jean gave him a surprised look.

"It's not necessary, Logan," she told him, but he only smirked.

"But I wanna stay," Logan gave back and pulled another bed closer to lay down on it. He looked at her from aside after he'd pulled his pillow close and watched how she closed her eyes again. "I don't wanna go on that mission," he told her truthfully since he still didn't feel well with it. "I don't want ya to be alone…"

"I'm not alone," she mumbled sleepily. "Charles' here…"

"I know," he nodded. "But I'll be worried." And the truth was he really was worried a lot. Thinking about a solution, he suddenly had one. "I'll place a guard-dog next to her," he tried to tease her a bit. "Because I doubt Chuck can make ya eat and sleep enough…" Earning a weak smile from her, Logan watched how she slowly drifted off into sleep. He remained in this position for a moment, before he reached out to take her hand into his. It didn't take long and he drifted off into a deep slumber, too.

* * *

When Jean woke up on the next morning, she found Rogue sitting on a chair next to her bed and reading in a book. "So you're Logan's guard-dog, hm?" she asked her sleepily and the young woman laid her book away in surprised, before he nodded with a smile.

"And he's told me to remind you at least 10 times a day to eat, sleep and drink enough," she told her and the redhead smiled a bit.

"Why are you not on that mission?"

"Logan talked me into doing him a favor," Rogue shrugged. "He always does this…," she added with a slight blush and traced the back of the book with her fingers.

"You still have a crush on him, don't you?" Jean asked her after a moment of watching the other woman. Seeing the clearly visible blush, she gave her a smile. "You should try and tell him that," she suggested and her opposite looked quickly down. "If you really want Logan, Marie, you need to try it. Otherwise you'll never be happy and might regret it someday…"

"You think so?" Rogue asked her insecurely.

"Yes, I do," the redhead nodded and closed her eyes again to sleep a bit more.

* * *

The X-Men returned in the evening from an unsuccessful mission. After they'd arrived, they searched for any sign of Magneto or his Brotherhood, just to figure out that they were already gone and probably hiding elsewhere. To Logan it wasn't really a surprise. If he was Magneto, he wouldn't be so stupid, too, and remain at the same place after being spotted and attacked once. When they reached the mansion again, he went upstairs to the kitchen to get himself something to drink and ran into Rogue. "Hey," he greeted her and opened the fridge where he began to look for a beer. "I thought you're downstairs…"

"Well, girls need to eat, right?" she asked him and he chuckled. "And she's sleeping again anyway." Seeing his nod, she got up from her stool and walked over to the stove. "Do you want to eat something? I can make something for you," Rogue offered but he waved off.

"Come on, you haven't eaten since the early morning," she went on and pushed him over to a stool. "I can also tell you where you're beer is."

Hearing it, Logan finally nodded. "Thanks…"

"No problem," she smiled and began to cook something for him. "Mrs. Munroe has carried your beer over to the teacher's lounge by the way."

"That witch," Logan cursed and got up to get one, but she pushed him back down and left. A few minutes later they sat opposite each other and she watched him wolfing down the pasta she'd cocked for him.

"How was the mission?" Rogue asked and he shrugged.

"As I thought he was already gone," he mumbled between chewing the noodles and sipping on his beer. "How's Jean?"

"I don't know…," she said. "We talked a bit, but she slept a lot."

"Good," he nodded. "Did she eat and drink enough?" he asked after swallowing the last noodles and Rogue nodded. "Thanks for watchin' her." Only smiling, Rogue watched how he put the dirty dish into the washer and threw the empty bottle away.

"Would you walk me upstairs to my room?" she asked him and he cocked a surprise eyebrow at her. "You haven't done this in quiet a while," she reminded him and he knew this was true. He'd done it quiet a lot when she'd been new to the school and after she'd found friends he found it rather unnecessary. Only shrugging, he watched how she got off from her stool and he quietly followed her up the stairs and to her room, where they stopped at her door. Not knowing what to say, Logan just looked at her, while she smiled back at him and, as he noticed, played with her white scarf nervously.

"Well, I should go," he suggested and she nodded. A movement that caused to strands to fall into her face. Bending forward he brushed them carefully out of it again, as he suddenly met his movement and kissed him lightly on the lips. Being more shocked than surprised, Logan pulled back and made two steps backwards to stare at her with a frown.

"Sorry…," Rogue quickly said with blushed cheeks and looked away.

"Rogue…," she heard him saying and looked up hopefully, but saw that he shook his head with a serious look on his face. "I'm your friend. Nothin' more," Logan said calmly. "Never more," he added for emphasis. "Not only because I'm a lot older than ya. You're more like my younger sister." Having said this he saw the hurt look on her face and that she was fighting with tears. Sighing, he stepped a bit closer and touched her shoulder. "Look, you're a cute girl. You deserve someone better than me," he explained calmly and looked into her wet eyes. "I can never be what ya want me to be, do ya understand that?" Receiving a weak, but sad nod from her, he let go of her shoulder and buried his hands in his pockets. "I'm sorry," Logan added and turned around to walk back down the corridor.

"It's Dr. Grey, isn't it?" Rogue suddenly asked and he stopped to cock an eyebrow at her. "You love her, don't you?" Seeing how he looked down first, she already knew the answer before he gave her one. She watched, still trying to hide her tears, how he turned around again and proceeded to walk furthered own the corridor. Nevertheless, Rogue heard the "Yeah" before he disappeared.

**I finished the chapter the day before already, but thought I'd wait with the upload, since I won't be at home tomorrow (Wednesday) to type a lot. Hope you guys enjoyed reading! Please let me know what you think. ; ) See ya!**


	4. Chapter 4

**Author's note:** **All non-Marvel characters are my invention, same goes for the story. Any other characters and their background belong to Marvel.**

Wohoo, the email thingy finally works again. Was about time. I was shocked to see how many of you have reviewed this one here and my others stories. Thanks to all reviewers!!! This chapter contains my pre-written chapters 7-9.

**Don't forget, ya ain't alone, darlin'**

After a few days in the infirmary, Jean was finally back on her way to her old room. Just as she'd entered the long corridor on the second floor, she ran into Rogue, who only gave her a brief look and was about to walk just past her, when the redhead made her stop. "Is something wrong?" Jean asked her concerned and let go of the girl's gloved hand.

"No," was all Rogue said before she turned around and left, leaving the redhead with a more than confused look on her face behind her. Only shaking her head, Jean proceeded to walk towards her room, where she laid down on her bed. It didn't take long and a knock could be heard before the door was being opened.

"What are ya doin'?" Logan asked and she could tell that he seemed to be slightly angered.

"I just laid down and wanted to rest a bit," she replied when he came inside and closed the door behind him. "Why? What's wrong?" she added und sat up a bit to have a better look on him. She could by the way he'd crossed his arms and his eyebrow cocked that he wasn't pleased with something. Still, she didn't know what.

"How can ya walk upstairs alone?" Logan asked her and she sighed. "And don't give me that now, Jean, you've heard that the Furball had said you have to be careful!"

"Logan," Jean sighed again. "I appreciate your concern, but I can't ask anyone around me for the tiniest things…" Looking up, she received a cocked eyebrow from him only. "Okay, I'm, sorry," she added quickly with another sigh.

Rolling his eyes, he shook his head and let his arms sink. "Do ya need anythin'?" he asked after a moment, but she shook her head.

"Thanks, but I wanted to sleep a bit," Jean replied and he nodded, before he walked towards the door again. She heard him mumbling a brief "See ya later then", before she was alone again. Shaking her head with a weak smile, she laid back down and pulled her legs close. It didn't take long for her to fall asleep. When she woke up a few hours later, it was already getting dark on the outside. Yawning, Jean stretched her muscles briefly and smiled when she noticed the tray with food and two bottles of water next to her on the bedside table. She knew who was responsible for it and it made her somehow sad again. She'd often wondered in the past days what her life would look like if nothing had happened at all. She ran a hand through her face, before she grabbed one of the bottles and opened it with a sad look in her eyes…

* * *

After Bobby had kept on going on her nerves by asking her non-stop what was bothering her so much, Rogue had trouble finding any sleep at night and decided to sneak down to steal some of her boyfriend's ice crème in the fridge. It didn't take long and Ororo entered, first giving her an odd look, since students were usually not allowed to walk around at night, but the look on the girl's face spoke volumes to her. So she decided to get herself something to drink, before she sat down opposite of her. "Is something wrong?" she asked the girl carefully, but Rogue shook her head and fixed her eyes onto the ice in front of her. "Come on, Marie," she tried it again. "You've already been so weird during my class. Is something wrong between you and Bobby?" Again Marie shook her head. "What is it then? You know you can tell me. It's not good to keep problems to yourself and try to figure out a way alone."

After remaining silent for a few more minutes and trying to stab the ice with her spoon, Rogue looked up and shrugged. "I…I made a terrible mistake," she finally said and saw that her opposite furrowed her brows.

"What did you do that you're such a mess, girl?" Ororo asked her with a slightly scared undertone. Watching how the girl began to feel more and more uncomfortable, it didn't take long and she heard her beginning to sob aloud. Thinking that something terrible had happened, she got off her stool to walk around the counter and tried to soothe the girl, while Ororo kept on asking what had happened. A few minutes later, after she knew the reason behind everything, she sat on the stool next to the still sniffing girl, and shook her head in disbelief. "What were you thinking, Marie?" she asked her and made the girl lower her head even more in shame. "You know perfectly well that you're underage and that Logan is far older than you. It's not only illegal, it's a thing that's…," she looked for the right words. "It's just impossible, you know?" Seeing that the girl was crying again, Ororo sighed and laid a hand on her shoulder. "I thought you were in love with Bobby?" she asked.

"I like Bobby," Rogue cried and wiped her tears away once more. "A lot. And I like being with him."

"Then what's the problem with him?" the woman asked her in confusion.

Shrugging, the girl ran a hand through her long her. "It's just…" She heaved a deep breath to calm herself again. "I can't stand it that he's still so immature. So boyish, while I'm more mature," she explained and Ororo nodded, before she looked at her seriously.

"What do you see in Logan, then?" she demanded to know and noticed the weak smile and the change in the girl's eyes instantly.

Playing with her scarf, Rogue had fixed her eyes on it and shrugged. "He just knows what he wants," she replied with a weak blush on her cheeks. "He can protect a girl, is loyal, a good guy even when he's grumpy most of the day…," she listed and Ororo only shook her head a bit. "And good-looking."

Sighing, the weather goddess got up to throw her empty bottle away. "Still, there's no way for you to be with him, Marie," she reminded the girl and turned around to see her nodding before she got of her stool, too. Ororo watched her walking over to the door after putting the ice crème back into the fridge, where she stopped to give her a sad look.

"I know, but it's not because of me that it can't work," Rogue said and made her opposite frown again. "Even if he sees a girl only in me...," she added and looked down.

"Why's it not because of you?" Ororo asked and crossed her arms when the girl gave her another sad smile.

"Because he loves Dr. Grey," Rogue replied and left, leaving her teacher with a shocked look.

* * *

On the next day, Ororo visited Jean in her room and sat on the edge of the bed, while the redhead, who'd just left the shower, began to get dressed. "How are you doing?" she asked her and Jean looked up while she dried her long hair with a towel.

"What do you think?" was all she replied and Ororo nodded.

"Well, Logan is talking care of you, isn't he?"

Hearing the strange undertone in her friend's voice, Jean stopped her attempt of drying her hair and gave her a questioning look. "What do you mean?" she demanded to know and met Ororo's eyes as the woman looked up again. "Logan is only helping me, 'Ro. As good as he can," she said slightly angered since she could tell what her friend was still thinking.

"I don't know, Jean," her opposite replied and shook her head. "I think he's only trying to get you into his bed." Seeing that the redhead was about to protest, she quickly went on. "He's after you since he stepped into our school, you can't deny this. He's trying to hit on you from the very first moment he laid his eyes on you and you know that. And now your alone and practically helpless… Why shouldn't he try?"

"It's not true!" Jean gave back through clenched teeth and threw the towel onto a nearby stool. "You're wrong with your suspicions. Logan's there when I need someone and he helps me, that's all."

"I don't think so," Ororo said and shook her head. "And Scott would be pissed to see it, Jean."

Hearing it, Jean turned around in a rush and gave the woman on her bed an angry glare, even if she noticed that she was shocked herself about what she'd said. "Get out!" she demanded and pointed at her door.

"Do you know that Rogue was crying her eyes out in the kitchen at night?" Ororo asked on her way to the door. "Because Logan rejected her?"

"No," Jean replied, hiding her surprise and knowing that this was the reason why the girl had avoided her the day before. "It was my fault. I told her to talk to him…," she said when Ororo opened the door.

"Do you want to know the reason behind Logan's actions?" the woman asked and gave her a look that spoke volumes. "He rejected her because of you."

Frowning, Jean crossed her arms and came a bit closer. "Why would he do that?" she asked and thought her friend's idea was completely ridiculous.

"Because he loves you," Ororo simply said and noticed the shocked look on her friend's face before she left.

* * *

A few weeks later, Logan wandered around the garden lost in thoughts. His hands were buried deep inside of his pockets as he suddenly caught her scents. He looked up with a raised eyebrow and saw Jean sitting at the pond, staring into the water and obviously thinking about something. He hadn't seen her in weeks, since, as he thought, she was doing everything to avoid him. When he knocked on her door, she was either not inside her room or pretending to be asleep, at breakfast, lunch or dinner, she was either leaving when he came into the kitchen or entering when he was about to leave. He didn't know why she behaved so strangely all of a sudden and it was bothering him a lot. Approaching her, he knew it was his chance now since she hadn't noticed him so far. "Why are ya avoidin' me, Jean?" Logan asked instantly and noticed that she startled a bit.

She looked at him for less than a second before she stared at the water in the pond again. "What makes you think that?" Jean asked innocently and heard him sigh.

"Because it's the truth," he simply said and kept his eyes on her, while his hands were still buried in his pockets.

"I don't know what you mean, Logan."

"Would ya cut this crap off, Jean?" Logan asked angered and narrowed his eyes. "What's wrong all of a sudden?!" he demanded to know, but she didn't reply and looked away. Shaking his head with a sigh, he just sat down next to her and stared at her from aside. "Did I do something wrong?" he asked her after a moment, even if he was sure he didn't. He'd stayed with her when she wanted him to stay, he'd left when she wanted to be alone… Her behavior now was just a miracle to him.

"No…," Jean finally replied after an eternity, as it appeared to him and he cocked an eyebrow. If he didn't do anything wrong, then he really had no idea what had gotten into her.

"What is it then?"

Sighing, Jean looked up to give him a brief look. She noticed the despair and confusion in his eyes and it hurt her somehow. "Why are you doing all this?" she asked him and he shook his head.

"Doin' what?"

"Helping me so much," Jean explained.

"Because you're my friend and I care for ya," Logan simply said and held her gaze for a moment, as she suddenly shook her head.

"That's not true," she said and he couldn't help but frown. "I know how you really feel about me, Logan."

Hearing it, Logan nodded knowingly and couldn't help but chuckle as anger rose within him. "So that's what ya think, eh?" he asked and gave her a hurt look. "Did ya get this idea from Storm?" Seeing that she looked away, he nodded once more. "As I thought," he mumbled and took a look around the garden, before he rested his eyes on her again. "Do ya really think that low about me, Jean?"

Shaking her head, the redhead looked up. "No…"

"Then why are ya avoidin' me?" Logan demanded to know.

Turning around and away from the water, Jean began to play with her jacket. "I just…," she began and shrugged, "I just didn't want you to think that you could take advantage on me…"

Staring at her in shock and surprise, he touched her chin briefly to make her look at him. "You really believe I'd do this to ya?" he asked her in complete disbelief and saw that she wanted to look away again, but stopped her from doing so. "Jean, I'd never do this to you!"

"I know," she replied barely audible after a moment.

"Then why are ya avoidin' me?" he asked rather amused about this ridiculous situation.

"I was just afraid…," Jean began with a shrug. "…that you might hope for something."

He nodded and suddenly smirked. "Can I say something to ya without you bein' mad with me?" he asked and she nodded. "You're a stupid cow, girl! Especially for believin' such crap," he told her bluntly. "I don't expect anythin' from you in return, Jean. It's just…" He shrugged while she looked at him attentively. "I just know from experience that one shouldn't be alone in such a situation. That's all."

Since Jean noticed the strange undertone with which he'd said the last part, she gave him a questioning look. "How come?" she asked when it was him now who looked down and avoided her gaze.

"At Liberty Island, when I fought against Sabretooth, I remembered somethin'," he explained and she gave him an encouraging nod to go on. "I remembered living with a woman in a wood. I don't know if she's my wife, but that doesn't matter. When I have a partner that one's my wife…"

"What happened with her?" Jean asked calmly and he tilted his head briefly while he still stared at the ground.

"She was murdered by him after he had some fun with her," he explained in a low voice and looked back at her, noticing the shocked look on her face.

"I…I didn't know…," Jean gasped with still widened eyes and shook her head. "I'm sorry, Logan…," she added sympathetically but he waved off.

"That was long ago, I think," Logan replied with a weak smile. "But I made the mistake and dealt with it alone, Jean. I know how hard it is and what you're doin' to yourself by doin' it. You shouldn't do it…"

Nodding, when she understood what he meant, Jean gave him an apologetic smile. "I'm sorry for avoiding you," she said. "I was being stupid in doing so."

"Yeah, ya were," Logan smirked and she smiled back.

Not saying anything at all for a while, both just sat next to each other and looked around the garden in silence. They enjoyed the comfortable feeling of being so close to the other, as Logan turned his head and watched from aside how she stroked over her belly lost in thoughts. "How's the kid doin'?" he asked and made her look up a bit startled.

"He's fine," Jean replied with a weak smile as he cocked an eyebrow.

"He?!" Logan asked and received a nod. "Already got a name?"

Sighing, Jean leant back a bit and supported herself with both arms on the edge of the pond. "I can't decide between Ryan, Connor and Michael," she told him honestly. "It's really giving me a headache by now."

"The first two suck," he told her bluntly and she raised a surprised eyebrow, asking him "Why is that?" Logan simply shrugged. "There's no possible way of making a nickname out of the first two!" Hearing it, she couldn't help but shake her head with a smile, not seeing that he was eyeing her belly curiously. "Can ya already feel anythin'?"

"Yeah," the redhead nodded and stroked over her belly again. "Actually he moves a lot," she added and looked at the man on her right. "Do you want to feel it?" she asked carefully, not knowing how he would react to it. Seeing that he nodded, she just took his hand and placed it onto her belly. "You can actually feel a foot there," she told him and watched how Logan clearly concentrated, but suddenly he nodded with a smirk. Smiling, too, Jean suddenly noticed how late it already was. "We should get back inside. It's time for dinner," she said and he followed her back to the mansion. "By the way, can you do me a favor?"

"'f course," Logan replied as if she asked a completely ridiculous question and held the door open for her. "What is it?"

"The baby's room still needs to be painted and decorated, but Hank said I shouldn't even dare to look at a ladder," Jean told him a bit embarrassed. "Would you mind helping me with it?" she asked and noticed that he was cocking an eyebrow at her.

"As I said," Logan replied with a low chuckle. "You're a stupid cow…"

**Okay, that's it for today. I can say so far that I am currently writing on chapter 30. So, the short summaries up to chapter 29 are already pre-written. ; ) Just let me know if I should go on or not. LOL See ya!!**


	5. Chapter 5

**Author's note:** Thanks to all reviewers!!! This chapter contains my pre-written chapters 10-11.

**Don't forget, ya ain't alone, darlin'**

Jean entered her room with two bottles in her hand and went over to the additional room which entrance was right next to her bed. She took a curious look around when she saw that Logan was already done painting it and was now working on the curtain rod above the white window. She walked over to him after he got off the ladder and handed him the cool drink, which he took thankfully and sipped on it. He watched how she took a look around again and smirked. "Seein' any white spots?" he asked but she shook her head. "Good." He emptied his bottle quickly before he turned towards her again. "Where do ya want to put the furniture?" he asked her and chuckled when she handed him a piece of paper on which she had drawn the room and which documented precisely where she wanted to put which furniture. "Thought about everythin', huh?" he asked and handed her the bottle before h took the paper and studied it.

"I want to put the bed and changing table on the left to the window no and the board and wardrobe on the right," she corrected her previous plan and received a nod from him.

"I'll do it as soon as the walls are dry," he mumbled and put the paper into his back pocket.

Smiling briefly, Jean met his eyes with a thankful look in them. "I really can't thank you enough for your help, Logan," she said but he waved off.

"Ya don't have to thank me for anythin', darlin'."

Smiling again, Jean took her empty bottle into her hand, too, and turned around, telling him that she would go and prepare dinner, before she left her room and went downstairs. In the kitchen, she gave Ororo only a brief look and began to take some vegetables out of the fridge, not seeing that her bets friend was watching her. "Where's Logan?" she asked her after a moment. "I haven't seen him all day."

"Upstairs," was all the redhead replied and went on cutting the vegetables in front of her, before she put them into a pot.

Nodding, Ororo heaved a deep breath and looked down on the meat that she was preparing for dinner. "You could have asked me, too, you know? I would have helped you with the room."

"I know what you're thinking," Jean replied in a chilly voice and gave her a brief look over her shoulder. "You're wrong, 'Ro!"

"Am I?"

"Yes, you are," she gave back and turned around. "Logan isn't thinking about getting me into his bed at all. He only wants to help me."

Nodding slowly, Ororo took the pan next to her and put the meat into it. "Sure. Because he's so different than other men…," she said sarcastically and made Jean roll her eyes.

Turning around again, the redhead slowly began to fume. "It's not my problem that no man's interested in you," she shot back before she could stop herself and Ororo looked up with widened eyes and clearly hurt. Jean sighed and closed her eyes briefly, cursing herself for the cruel remark first, before she turned around. "Look," she said a bit calmer. "Logan knows what I am going through."

"How?" Ororo asked her skeptically with crossed arms, since she'd noticed the weird undertone and watched how the redhead turned around again.

"Because Sabretooth killed his wife…," Jean replied after a moment and didn't see how her friend's eyes widened while she let her arms slowly sink.

"Wife?!" she heard her asking in disbelief and nodded.

"Just leave him alone, 'Ro," she begged her. "And stop thinking so low of him."

Staring at the ground for a while, Ororo leant back against the counter and wrapped her arms around herself. "I didn't know…," she mumbled and shook her head. "Do you know more about it?" she asked Jean after a moment and turned her head to look at her, but the redhead shook hers. "God, I'm so sorry…"

"You know," Jean replied with a look. "It's not me you have to apologize to…"

* * *

When Logan came down the stairs a bit later, his hair still a bit damp after taking a shower and trying to get rid of the yellow painting on his skin, he let out an annoyed grown when he noticed who was standing at the end of the staircase. Determine to ignore the weather goddess, he buried his hands in his pockets and wanted to just walk past her, as she grabbed his arm. "What do ya want?!" he instantly snapped at her, not caring that the woman backed off a bit in surprise and pulled his arms roughly away.

"I just…," Ororo began and looked down. "I wanted to apologize for the things I said to you, that's all…"

Hearing it, Logan cocked a surprised eyebrow at her and crossed his arms with a low chuckle. "Oh really? How come that I deserve such honor?!" he asked her cynically.

She bit her lip briefly and shrugged before she looked at him with, as he noticed, sympathy in her eyes. "Jean has told me about your wife…," she admitted barely audible and saw how he looked away. "I'm sorry for your loss," she added and dared to reach out to touch his arm. "Can you forgive me for being such a bitch to you lately?"

Shrugging, he met her gaze. "Depends on a few things…," Logan replied and she began to frown.

"On what?"

"If ya carry down the empty boxes of the furniture," he said. "I just showered, ya know…"

Ororo couldn't help but smile and nod. "I'll do it…," she said calmly and saw his smirk.

"Good," Logan nodded and turned around to walk down the corridor towards the kitchen, followed by her.

* * *

A usual, the mansion was like Santa's cavern for Christmas. Every corridor was decorated, Christmas trees of all heights could be found throughout the entire house and also every room was filled with smiling Santas or snowmen, while artificial snow was sprayed on the windows. Every room except Logan's of course, who, as everyone knew, didn't like to celebrate Christmas at all. Back at the mansion, Ororo helped Jean to carry the bags upstairs after they'd spent the last four hours to shop for anything the baby would need. Inside the redhead's room, the weather goddess took the clothing and told her she would wash the things later, while Jean gave her a short thanks out of the additional room, where she was occupied with putting the stuffed animals onto the cupboard, the diapers next to the changing tabled and some books for bedtime stories next to the chair that stood in the corner of the room, opposite the white door. When Ororo entered the room, she instantly noticed the look on her friend's face and laid a hand on her shoulder. "I know that it must be terrible for you…," she said calmly.

"I can't change it," was all the other woman said and looked away.

Looking down for a moment, Ororo sighed. "I know that, Jean," she replied. "Just don't forget that you're not alone."

Meeting her friend's gaze, the redhead nodded. "I know…"

A few hours later, Logan knocked on her door and found her sitting on the bed with a book in her hands. "Hey, you busy?" he asked her.

"Actually…no," Jean replied a bit confused about his surprisingly good mood. As far as she knew he hated to wander around the mansion, since all the different scents drove him crazy.

Smiling, he walked over to her bed and pulled her up. "Then grab a jacket."

"Why?"

"I want ya to take a walk in the snow with me," he explained when she pulled the jacket on. "The evenin' looks great and I like to have some company that doesn't consist of annoyin' little girls, who can't wait for the mornin' to come. So you in?" he asked and held the door open for her.

Downstairs they walked around the garden in silence for a while, Jean enjoying the calmness of the garden and the coolness of the air, Logan, with his hands buried in his pockets, feeling relieved to smell natural scents only and not the overwhelming scents from inside of the mansion. He couldn't help but look at her from time to time. He had noticed the sad look on her face the whole day through, had waited for her to tell him if she felt the need to talk with someone, but after Ororo had ran into him and told him that Jean wasn't feeling well, he had thought about taking her to the outside and try to talk to her a bit. "So…you alright?" he asked her after waiting a bit longer and stopped near the pond.

"It's hard…," Jean replied without looking up and he had to listen very carefully to understand her at all.

Logan nodded and watched how she kept on fixing her eyes onto the snow, before he stepped closer to pull her closer. Heaving a deep breath, Jean wrapped her arms around his waist to lean into him and closed her eyes. "I know it won't help now," she heard him saying calmly after a moment. "…but it'll become easier with the time."

"I hope so," she mumbled into his chest. "Thinking about being alone on Christmas is killing me…"

"Why don't you spend the time with 'Ro then?" Logan asked while he stroked over her back soothingly, but Jean sighed and shook her head before she leant back to take a look around.

"I…," she began and shrugged. "I just can't stand the sympathy in her eyes. She always gives me the same sad look when she looks at me. I jus can't stand it…"

Nodding, Logan looked back at the mansion and heaved a deep breath. "Wanna spend time with me?" he asked her. "If ya want I mean… We could watch a movie together or whatever you guys are doin' on Christmas."

Thinking about his offer, Jean finally nodded. She didn't want to spend the evening before Christmas Eve alone, nor did she feel like celebrating it with her friends. "Okay," she finally said and he smiled.

"Then lets go back inside before ya catch a cold," Logan said and laid a hand on her back for guidance.

"Well if I do than it's your fault," she teased him and made him chuckle. Back inside they went upstairs to change their clothing and met downstairs in the hall again. While Jean took a blanket with her and wore a silky black pajama with a thin dressing gown in the same color over it, Logan wore a white t-shirt and blank track pants.

"Do you wanna have popcorn, too?" he asked after descending the stairs and following her towards the rec-room.

About to reply Jean looked up when she heard Bobby and Peter calling. "Don't forget it means bad luck!" Bobby said with a grin and followed his friend upstairs, leaving Logan staring with furrowed brows at the stairs and Jean not minder confused.

"What is that kid talkin' about?" he asked after a moment and turned back to her, seeing that she stared at something above them. He raised his head and cocked an eyebrow as he figured what the boys had meant. "Oh…," was all he could say as he suddenly picked up on the drastic change within her. "Hey, forget about it," Logan said and shook his head when she looked at him uncomfortably. "I don't believe in that stuff… And besides, you don't have to and no one can make ya do it."

Looking down and staring back at the mistletoe above them, Jean shook her head. "It's tradition…," she replied calmly. "And I can't use any more bad luck, Logan…," she added and tried to smile at him, but he knew it was fake.

"You're sure about this, ain't ya?" he asked with a cocked eyebrow and even if he always wanted to kiss her, he knew the moment couldn't be more wrong. But he saw her nod and shrugged. Still, he was sure she would regret it. Reaching out he placed a hand on her cheek and bent down, picking up on her fast beating heart and her overwhelming fear and nervousness, before he gave her a quick, but soft kiss and pulled back again. When he saw that she looked down onto the ground and obviously felt embarrassed he put his hands to his hips. "Told ya it was a bad idea, Jean," Logan said calmly but she shook her head.

"I go and pick a movie and you get some popcorn and drinks," Jean replied with a weak smile and walked past him, closely watched by him.


	6. Chapter 6

**Author's note:** Thanks to all reviewers!!! This chapter contains my pre-written chapters 12-13.

**Don't forget, ya ain't alone, darlin'**

On the next morning everyone was up very early as usual and loud chattering filled the corridors of the mansion, while those students who returned home for Christmas, ran around to show their friends the gifts they'd gotten. The X-Men were already gathered in the kitchen when Ororo had finally fought her way through the happy students and greeted her friends with a warm smile. Nevertheless, she began to frown when she eyes the group more closely. "Has anyone seen Logan and Jean?" she asked since she knew that a) Logan was always up early on Christmas to eat breakfast very quickly and disappear into his room again, where he remained all day until Christmas was finally over, and b) she would have thought that Jean was up early, too, since she could tell that her friend was feeling more than terrible on her first Christmas alone. Seeing that all others shook their head, she decided to go upstairs and check on them. After knocking and entering their empty rooms, Ororo finally went downstairs again and checked the library and even the basement, but she could neither find Logan nor Jean. As she walked past the rec-room, she stopped with a frown and noticed that the TV was still running. Thinking that one of the students had forgotten about it again, the woman shook her head with a sigh and went over to switch it off, just to freeze on the spot after turning around. On the sofa laid Logan, deeply asleep as she figured, but the thing that shocked her more was that Jean laid between his legs, covered with a blanket, and had one arm wrapped around his waist while her head rested on his chest. Not knowing what to think about it, Ororo left the room with furrowed brows and was about to walk back to the kitchen as the doorbell rang.

"Ororo!" Hank greeted happily and pulled her into a firm embrace. "Merry Christmas!" he added and closed the door behind him to get rid of his scarf. It didn't take long for him to see the odd look on his friend's face and he began to frown. "Is something wrong? You look quiet confused if I may say…"

"No, it's just…," she began and led him back to the kitchen, telling him on their way what she's just seen.

"So that bastard still tries?" he asked her, showing his disgust for the fellow X-Men, but she stopped and shook her head.

"No…," she replied and crossed her arms to look down the corridor for a moment while he stood in front of her and watched her. "It can't be. Jean has told me over and over again that this wasn't the case." Only nodding, but not really convinced Hank followed her further down and into the kitchen.

When Logan awoke a few minutes later, he opened his eyes in confusion and had clearly trouble to tell where he was first. As he looked down he figured out why he couldn't move and since Jean was still asleep he laid back down to rest a bit more. He couldn't even remember falling asleep on the couch, even if she had picked a typical girl's movie, or how they'd ended up in this position at all. Since his hand, which rested on her belly and was covered with hers, began to tickle, he figured that they obviously hadn't moved at all during the night and was thankful to have a healing factor to take care of all the numb muscles in his body. Logan smiled a bit when he felt a soft kick under his hand and it didn't take long for Jean to open her eyes afterwards. She, too, had trouble first to realize where she was and was surprised that she had slept through, something she hadn't done in weeks. Realizing that she practically slept on him, her cheeks blushed a bit, but still she had to admit that she didn't feel uncomfortable at all. "You awake?" Logan asked calmly, his voice still thick with sleep.

"Yeah," she replied and sat up, brushing the strands out of her face. "I'm sorry for falling asleep on you."

Waving off, Logan sat up, too, and stretched his sore muscles, making her pull a face when he cracked his stuff neck. "You think they still do their happy dance in the kitchen?" he asked. "'Cause I wanna eat."

"Let's check," the redhead suggested and he followed her. "Did you switch the TV off?"

"Nope," Logan shook his head. "Or did I? Don't know…" Smirking he received a smile from her.

"Better say you don't care."

"Well pick one," he replied and hid his groan as he noticed that the kitchen was still occupied by his teammates. "Great," he grunted and went over to the fridge to look if there were any eatable leftovers.

Glaring at him, Hank turned to Jean. "Good morning, Jean," he greeted her. "How are you doing?"

Shrugging she poured herself a tea. "Good, I think…," she replied and watched how Logan began to cook new pancakes, which he shared with her. During their breakfast they thought it was rather odd that no one spoke to them and he could only cock an eyebrow at Hank when he noticed the man's odd looks. After they were done eating, Logan became even more confused when Hank got up and stopped at the door.

"On a word, Wolverine?" he asked him and beckoned him to follow him.

Cocking an eyebrow at Jean, who only shrugged, Logan rolled his eyes and buried his hands in his pockets, before he followed the other mutant down the corridor. He stopped in front of Hank with his arms crossed and gave him an arrogant look, since he couldn't stand the man. "What?"

"I want you to stay away from Jean," Hank instantly said with a more than obvious glare in his blue eyes.

"That's Jean's decision not yours," Logan replied uninterestedly and returned the look. "And besides that who are you to give me orders, Furball?"

Snarling, Hank narrowed his eyes and pushed him against the wall to his right roughly, not caring that his opposite was unimpressed by it. "Don't even dare to go any further, Wolverine," he warned him.

"Or what?" Logan growled back and cocked an eyebrow at him. "You cough up a fur ball and hit me with it?!"

"I know some things about you," Hank snarled back. "And I'm sure you want them to be kept a secret…"

"Really? Then ya know more than me," Logan gave back. "And I don't give a shit," he added before he pushed Hank roughly out of his way.

"I grew up with Jean and know her better than you," Hank replied and watched how Logan walked back down the corridor when this one turned briefly around to give him a glare.

"If that was the truth, Furball," Logan shot back. "You'd be there for her now and not playin' politics somewhere else." With that he turned around again and left Hank fuming.

* * *

A few weeks later Hank stayed inside the mansion since Jean was already 9 months pregnant by now and he wanted to be there when needed. After making sure the redhead was fine, Logan went down to the gym for his daily work-out where he ran into Rogue. He'd noticed that the girl tried everything to avoid him and picked up on the change in her body instantly as soon as she'd spotted him sitting down on the weight bench, where he began to do bench presses after greeting her with his casual "Hey, kid!"

"Hi," Rogue replied shyly and watched him for a moment, before she took her towel and walked towards the door.

"Why're ya avoidin' me?" she heard him asking and stopped to turn around with a surprised look on her face. She hadn't through he would have noticed. "I'm not," she replied and hoped he would leave it with that, but Logan chuckled.

"Yeah, you are," he said while concentrating on his presses. "Look, there's no reason for her to behave like that…" Rogue bit her lip and looked down. "I don't see a reason at all why we can't be friends anymore, kid," he added and put the weight back into its place before he sat up and dried his face with his towel. He noticed that she hadn't moved an inch and began to cock an eyebrow at her. "Or do think differently about it?" he demanded to know and her head shot up.

Staring back at him with widened eyes, the girl shook her head. "No…, but…" She sighed and broke eye contact again. "It's just that I feel so ashamed, Logan," she admitted barely audible and with flushed cheeks, as he suddenly stood in front of her and touched her chin briefly.

"I ain't mad at you, okay?" he said in a soft voice. "There's no reason for ya to feel ashamed, Rogue." Receiving a nod and a weak smile from her, he smirked back. "So, we friends again? Or do ya plan to keep on hidin' behind statues if I walk past ya?" he asked and cocked an eyebrow at her knowingly.

"You…you knew?" she asked completely flushed now and he chuckled.

"'f course. Ya can fool my eyes but not my nose, kid," Logan smirked. "So, we fine again?"

"Yeah," Rogue nodded with a smile and left the gym with him. Upstairs she saw Bobby approaching and sighed. Not wanting to talk to him right now, she intended to walk past him as he grabbed her arm to make her stop.

"Where have been all day?" he asked her with a frown and crossed his arms.

"In the gym," she replied and noticed that he was suddenly looking at something behind her. Turning around she saw that it was Logan with his towel wrapped around his neck and who was about to enter his room.

"With Logan?" Bobby asked in a chilly voice and she raised an eyebrow at him when she noticed his jealous look

"Yeah… And?" she asked innocently and crossed her arms.

"Has fun?" he asked in return. "I bet you had, as flushed as you are…"

Giving a short laugh, Rogue shook her head. "What do you mean, Bobby?" she demanded to know and waited for his answer.

"I'm sick of you cheating behind my back, Rogue," he said angrily and caused her chin to drop. "He can touch you, can't he?"

"Are you out of your mind now?" she shot back a bit louder, not caring that Jubilee and Kitty had opened their room door and that Logan could even hear them without her yelling at her boyfriend.

"I've asked you some weeks ago if you had to tell me something," Bobby gave back and stepped a bit closer. "And you said no."

"And this was the truth!"

"Cut it off, Marie!" he said aloud and the girls quickly closed their door again. "Kitty has seen how you've kissed Logan!"

Being surprised first, Rogue shook her head. "This was different, Bobby!"

"Really?" he asked angrily. "So you haven't kissed him then?" Seeing how she looked down he nodded. "So it's true…" He gave a brief snort in disbelief and turned around while shaking his head.

"You don't understand!" Rogue said in despair and followed him as he suddenly turned around in a rush.

"What isn't there to not understand?" Bobby yelled. "I've noticed that you've feelings for him from the beginning, Rogue! I've seen how you've looked at him and now I have the proof!" Shaking his head again, he looked away in anger. "I definitely don't intend to be second best to you! I especially don't want to be with you if you want to be with another man!" Giving her one last glare he turned around again to walk away, feeling how she grabbed his arms to stop him, but he pulled away. He had already walked a bit as she suddenly spoke up, not minder angered all of a sudden as he was before.

"It's your own fault!" Rogue said aloud. "If you weren't so immature…"

"Immature?!" Bobby cut her off and stared at her in disbelief.

"Yes, immature," she replied slowly.

Laughing, he crossed his arms. "What do you expect from a 17 year old boy, Rogue?" he asked through clenched teeth. "You knew me before and you know what I'm like. It's not my problem if you need some kind of father-replacement!"

Hearing it, Rogue stared at him in shock before she began to narrow her eyes. "How dare you…," she hissed but he only looked at her with his arms crossed in front of his chest.

"What else is it you feel for a man who's far older than you?" Bobby asked her before he began to walk backwards. "I'd rather be immature than chasing dreams which will never become true! So who's immature here?" he asked and left.

**That was my update for today. Hope you'd fun reading! ; ) Please review!!**


	7. Chapter 7

**Author's note:** Thanks to all reviewers!!! This chapter contains my pre-written chapters 14-15.

**Don't forget, ya ain't alone, darlin'**

After getting up, Logan walked over to Jean's room, as he did on every morning but also in the late evening before he got to bed, to make sure she was fine. He began to frown when he noticed that's he wasn't in her room as usually at that time but didn't bother to think about it further and turned around to go downstairs to eat something. Just as he turned around the corner, Ororo bumped into him panting. Before he could ask what had gotten into her, she'd already grabbed his hand. "You need to come with me," she told him out of breath and began to pull him with her.

"Why?!" Logan asked confused and cocked an eyebrow at the woman, who tried to force him to come with her, while he had one hand buried in his pocket and remained on the same spot; smirking about her attempts to move him one bit.

"Jean's in the infirmary," was all she told him and he nearly stumbled. "You need to go to her, come on!"

Allowing her to drag him over to the elevators, Logan still didn't understand what was going on, except that he began to feel worried for a particular redhead. "What's goin' on, Storm?" he asked when the door opened and they stepped out of it to walk down the light blue corridor of the basement.

Groaning about his stupidity, the woman grabbed his hand and began to drag him further down with her. "You need to support her," was all she told him, causing him to cock the other brow, too. "And don't even dare to ask her any stupid questions or she'll kill you!" She turned her head briefly, since he didn't reply and rolled her eyes when he gave her a questioning look only. "Just forget, Logan!" she sighed and dragged him into the infirmary, noticing that he lost a bit from his tanned color as he finally began to realize what she was talking about. Not caring about his shocked state, she pushed him over to the bed and ordered him to sit down behind Jean. "Help her to sit up when Hank tells her to push," she ordered and went over to the washbasin to clean her hands again.

Doing as he was told, Logan sat down behind the panting redhead and grabbed her hand, beginning to feel more and more uncomfortable the more time passed and the more he picked up on her stress and the pain she was in. He didn't even dare to look at the wall clock to check on how much time had passed when Hank finally told Jean to begin to push. He practically lost any feeling for time and did his best to ignore that she was nearly crushing his hand each time he helped her into a sitting position. While his mind kept on asking how he'd gotten into this situation and what he was doing here, while another part asked why woman voluntarily went through this torture, as he called it, he heard how Ororo kept on speaking to Jean encouragingly, as suddenly a shrill cry could be heard and caused him to snap out of his trance. Logan watched how Hank laid a bloody and slimy small thing onto the redhead's chest that, as he thought, hurt his sensitive ears more than an exploding grenade right next to his ear. He couldn't help but stare at the small, crying being while he barely registered that Jean was sobbing loudly, accompanied by a crying Ororo next to her. A few hours later, when Jean was asleep, he still stood next to the bed and stared at the now calm baby in the small bed curiously and asked himself what to think about it.

"He's small isn't he?" Jean suddenly asked him sleepily and he turned his head towards her with a nod and smile. "Why are you still here?" she asked next.

"'Ro was too overwhelmed by it that the Furball has to take her upstairs," Logan explained and she smiled. "I just thought someone should be here with ya."

Nodding and giving him a weak smile, Jean sat up a bit. "Can you give him to me, please?"

Staring at her as if she'd just told him she was in love with Magneto, Logan looked at the baby and back at her. "I don't wanna break it…," he replied and she could only shake her head with a smile.

"You can't break a baby except you let it fall, Logan," she said and watched how he pulled the boy very carefully out of the bed and brought it to her as if the baby was made of fragile porcelain. Nodding at the spot next to her, she waited for him to sit down on it while she stroked over the boy's cheek lovingly. "You can already start thinking about a nickname by the way."

"Yeah?" he asked and raised an eyebrow. "So you've finally decided on a name then?"

"Michael," she replied with a smile at the boy and Logan shrugged playfully.

"That's not too hard actually," he smirked when she took his hand with a stern look on her face.

"Thank you for being here and helping me," Jean said calmly but he waved off, just to watch how her eyes became sad when she looked back at the baby. "Do you think…," she began and rubbed her eye briefly. "…that Scott would be proud of me?"

"Are ya kiddin'?" Logan replied after a moment. "You've been through 18 hours of torture. 'f course he'd be proud of ya." Smiling thankfully at him, Jean heaved a deep breath and wiped her tears away.

"Would you help me up, please?" she asked and noticed that he cocked an eyebrow at her. "I'd like to sleep in my own bed."

"Are ya allowed to get up already?" he asked back and received a look from her.

"I'm the doc here, Logan," Jean replied and he quickly raised both hands in defense.

"Just a thought," he said and got up. "But I carry ya." Seeing that she was about to reply something, he shook his head. "No way to change my mind, darlin'. Either you let me carry ya or you'll stay here. So hold the kid." Waiting for her to do so, he pulled her carefully up and carried her back to the elevator and to her room, where he laid her down on her bed.

"Would you bring him to his bed?" the redhead asked and he nodded. Waiting for her to give Michael a kiss, he took the boy and placed him in his bed.

"Do ya need anythin' else?" Logan asked but Jean shook her head tiredly.

"Thank you, Logan," she smiled and he smirked since she was already half gone into oblivion.

"Night," he said calmly before he left and closed the door behind him.

* * *

A few days later, after he'd reluctantly listened to the newest gossip Jubilee had found out about, Logan pulled a beer out of the fridge with a sigh and decided it'd be the best to keep moving before the girl would find him again and tell him about things he just didn't cared about. When he walked past the rec-room a scent caught his attention and he stopped at the door first, before he sipped on his beer and approached the sofa. On it sat Jean with Michael on her arm, the boy still sucking on the bottle, while the redhead was asleep. Frowning, Logan put the beer onto the table and sat down next to her. Since she didn't wake up from it, he reached out and touched her cheek, which made her practically jump up. "Ya look terrible," he told her bluntly after receiving a more than confused look from her.

"Thanks, Logan," Jean replied and ran a hand through her face.

"Why don't ya lie down and sleep if you're tired?" he asked her and gave the boy a look.

"I can't just lie down, Logan," she sighed and put the bottle away before she began to pat Michael's back. "I have a baby, remember?"

"Really?" he asked with a cocked eyebrow and sounded more cynical than he intended to. "You also have enough people around here that can help ya with it. Why don't ya ask Ororo to watch over him tonight so that you can sleep for a few hours?"

"She has classes tomorrow," Jean replied and cradled the baby in her arms. "I can't ask her to get up every two hours and teach students in the morning."

"You could ask me, too!" Staring at him skeptically before she realized that he really meant what he said, her look changed into a surprised one. "Look, you go upstairs and sleep in my room and I watch over the kid. Just tell me when he needs food and what else is important," he offered and waited for any reaction of her.

"Are you sure?" Jean asked him still skeptically but he sighed.

"'f course I am," he grunted. "I always mean what I say. You should know it by now. And besides it's you who needs rest and that quickly."

"Because I look terrible, right?" she asked and he nodded.

"Precisely, darlin'. I was still nice with sayin' terrible, actually," he smirked and watched her getting up.

"I'll be in my room then and leave a note for you," Jean said when he got up, too. While she ascended the stairs, he made his way to the kitchen and began to prepare three sandwiches, which he took upstairs with him on a tray, including two bottles with water. Back in his room, he put the tray onto his bedside table and quickly changed the sheets, before he took a shirt and pants out of his drawer and went over to knock on her door. When he went inside, Jean was just leaving Michael's room and handed him a note which told him precisely what he'd have to do.

Nodding, he laid it onto her bedside table. "Think I can handle that," he smirked at her, noticing that she'd already changed into her pajama.

"Thank you," Jean smiled and gave him a brief hug before she left the room and went over to his, just to smile when she noticed the tray with food. After closing the curtains, she laid down in his bed and pulled the pillow close with a satisfied sigh. It didn't take long for her to drift off into a very deep slumber.

Having his clothing changed by now, too, Logan stood next to Michael's bed and watched the boy sleeping before he gave the note a brief look. Not knowing what to do before it would be time again to feed the boy, he looked through the redhead's books curiously and finally took one out of it. After he sat on her bed for a while and had already read a great amount of the book, he heard the whining of the baby and got up to check on him. A brief look on his watch told him that it was time to feed the boy, so he pulled him carefully up and walked downstairs to the kitchen with him. He briefly checked on Jean's notes again and followed her instructions on how to prepare the bottle, before he leant back against the fridge with Michael on his arms and watched him sucking eagerly on the bottle. Thinking about the fact that he himself had been that small and helpless somewhere in his past practically made him shudder. Not only because he couldn't remember what being a child was like or who his parents had been. He even wondered from time to time if he had siblings or if he had been raised by a family at all. Being completely taken by watching the boy, he didn't notice that Ororo had entered the kitchen and was looking at him with furrowed brows from the door.

"What are you doing?" she asked him and received a cocked eyebrow.

"What does it look like?!"

"Why do you have the baby, Logan?" she demanded to know and came closer. "Where's Jean?"

"Asleep in my room," Logan told her and watched how she began to cross her arms.

"_Your_ room?!" she asked in disbelief and rather chilly as he thought.

Sighing he rolled his eyes. "So that she can finally rest and sleep a bit," he explained.

"And where are you staying at if I may ask?" Ororo asked next.

"In her room?" he gave back as if she was dumb.

Nodding, the woman leant back against the counter. "Why didn't she ask me to watch over him?"

"Because you've to teach," Logan grunted and put the empty bottle away before he began to stroke over Michael's back after pulling him against his shoulder. "Night," was all he mumbled when he left the room again and returned to Jean's room. After having fallen asleep for a few minutes, he heard how the boy began to cry again and new the hardest thing was probably coming now. And he was right when his nose picked up on the mess the boy had left in his diapers. After starting several attempts to put a new diaper on, Logan finally managed it more or less and returned to bed again where he fell asleep once more.

When Jean woke up on the next morning and stretched, she couldn't believe how good she felt. She hadn't been that relaxed and rested in days and could only hope that her boy hadn't been too hard on Logan. After taking a long shower she went over to her room and opened the door calmly, just to smile when she saw that Logan was still asleep and Michael was sleeping in his arm. Looking at the scenery a bit longer, her smile faded and she began to take notice of the heavy pressure in her chest. She couldn't help but think that it probably would have been Scott on the bed now with their son in his arms and she heaved a deep breath before he closed the door behind her. As soon as she had sat down on the bed, Logan opened his eyes and ran a hand through his face. "Morning," Jean said and smiled as she realized how drowsily he was.

"Had a good night?" he asked her sleepily and noticed that the boy was still asleep in his arm.

"Yes, a very good one thanks to you," she replied. "I used your shower and things…," she added guiltily but he waved off. "Did everything go alright?" Nodding, Logan ran a hand through his face again and couldn't help but yawn. "You look like someone who could need some sleep," Jean teased him and made him chuckle.

"Oh really?" he asked and she smiled nodding. He sat carefully up and handed her the boy, who briefly stirred in his sleep but didn't wake up.

"Thanks again for taking care of him," Jean said calmly.

"Anytime," Logan replied and got up to walk over to the door. "And next time if ya feel like fallin' asleep while walkin'…ask me first, 'kay?"

Smiling the redhead nodded. "I'll keep that in mind, Logan."

"I hope so," he smirked and opened the door. "See ya later!"


	8. Chapter 8

**Author's note:** Thanks to all reviewers!!! This chapter contains my pre-written chapters 16-17.

Sorry for the big leaps in time, but I needed to push the story forward and into the direction I wanted it to go. By now I have 30 chapters pre-written. Hope you guys enjoy reading. Please review!

**Don't forget, ya ain't alone, darlin'**

It's nearly been over a year by now since Michael was born and not many things had changed during the year. While the Professor wasn't successful in locating the new hideout of the Brotherhood, Bobby and Rogue had broken up and he was now dating Kitty, or better he was since the girl had become more interested in Peter after a while. While Jean had begun to work part-time with the students again, Logan had helped her in taking care of Michael and had either watched over the boy while she gave classes, or at night so that she could rest.

Right now they'd already spent some hours in the mall and went shopping for new things for the boy. Lost in thoughts, Jean went through the store and looked through the clothing whereas Logan sat on a bench and did what he enjoyed the most: watching how excited pregnant women or mothers ran like chicken through the shop and their poor boyfriends or husbands had trouble to follow them with dozen bags in their hands. Only shaking his head about it, he called himself lucky and looked down again to watch how Michael crawled on the floor a bit, before he decided to come back to him and pull himself up on the man's leg. Smirking Logan looked back up at Jean when she called him and nodded after he gave him a sign that she would go and pay for the clothing she'd found.

While she waited at the cash desk, the redhead turned her head from time to time and smiled when she saw how Logan tried to teach the boy how to walk again. By now she could only shake her head each time she saw how much the two were an item by now. Her son was practically like Logan's little dog. Everywhere he went, the boy followed him crawling. She still remembered too well the Hell Gate her son had opened when he couldn't find his best friend and the smile she'd received from him after finding Logan in the garage. "Is this your boy?" a woman next to her suddenly asked and Jean startled a bit when she awoke from her day dream.

"Yes, he is," she replied with a smile.

The woman smiled at the scenery before she turned back to her with a sigh. "You can call yourself lucky that your son has a father who cares so lovingly for him." When she noticed the look of her opposite and that the woman tried to keep her smile up, she began to frown. "Did I say something wrong?" she asked worriedly, but Jean waved off.

"No, it's just…," she began and looked at her son again. "His father had died before our son was born."

Gasping in shock and covering her lips with one hand, the woman stared at the redhead for a while. "Oh my God this is terrible, I'm so sorry. I didn't know…," she tried to apologize when Jean shook her head with a smile and paid for the clothing.

"No, it's okay…"

She watched how the woman turned her head again to look at the man and boy before she touched the redhead's arm as the woman wanted to return to them. "Then you can at least call yourself lucky that you have a friend like him who obviously cares for the boy so much," she smiled. "I wished I had someone like him…," she added and her smile faded.

Giving her a weak smile, Jean returned to Logan, who instantly noticed that her mood wasn't as good anymore as before. "Somethin' wrong?" he asked when she put the bag underneath the buggy, but she shook her head. Shrugging he pulled Michael up from the ground and was about to put him back into the buggy, when the boy began to protest aloud. "What's wrong now, huh? Ya already cleaned the whole floor with your pants, kid."

"I think he doesn't want to sit in the buggy but you to carry him," Jean said and he shrugged again before he pulled the boy up. Together they left the shop and walked through the mall again, deciding that they had everything by now and that it was about time to return to the mansion.

Reaching it minutes later, Logan carried Michael upstairs and got rid of his jacket before he let the boy crawl onto the ground again. "I go down and prepare a bottle for him," Jean told him after she'd put the bags onto the bed and disappeared once more, leaving Logan to watch how Michael pulled himself up on the bed's sheets, just to fall onto his butt again. Smirking, the man sat down on the ground. Again the boy pulled himself up and fell onto his butt again, just to repeat the same procedure again.

"A fighter, huh?" Logan asked with a smirk and held out his arms when Michael turned his head to look at him. "Come here," he beckoned him to come over to him and the boy let go of the sheet, walking two steps clumsily before he fell down again, just to pull himself up once more and try again. He didn't even look up when his mother returned and looked at him with a frown. "Just wait!" Logan told her and took her hand to make her sit down next to her, being watched by the boy. "C'mon. Try again, Mikey," he said and held out his arms again. Jean watched how her son let go of the blanket again, tried if it was safe and began to stumble forward, just to fall into Logan's arms. "Good boy!" this one smirked happily and smiled at her proudly. Staring at the boy for a moment, the redhead couldn't help but start crying, when she heard Logan saying that the next thing they'd work on were words. He let go of the Michael, who instantly crawled over to the bottle next to his still sobbing mother and began to suck on it. "Hey, what's wrong?" Logan asked her with a frown and touched her chin to make her look at him. Looking back at him, Jean pulled a face after a moment and wrapped her arms around his neck to cry into his neck. Not knowing what else he could do, he pulled her close and rocked her slowly back and forth.

* * *

A few months later Jean awoke due to the sunlight falling into her room and blinked against the unfamiliar bright light. A bit confused, since she couldn't remember that she's fallen asleep on the bed, she gave Michael, who slept next to her and was closely cuddled up to Logan, who slept opposite of her, a look. She remembered their attempts of trying to make the boy tired the evening before and looked back at the sleeping man, who obviously didn't mind that the boy was soundly asleep in his arm. She couldn't believe how much and especially how fast time had passed. Her son would turn two soon and to her it still seemed as if he'd just been born. Sighing, she got carefully off the bed to take a shower and get dressed, just to be greeted by Michael, who was awake when she came back again. Smiling at him lovingly, she pulled him up and prepared him for the day, before she left Logan a message and left the room. 

When he woke up later, he looked drowsily around and ran a hand through his messy hair; not really knowing why he was sleeping in Jean's room again or why he was alone in it. At least, he thought, the boy wasn't here either, because otherwise he'd be worried that he'd accidentally slept on him. As he turned his head to the other side, he noticed the small note on Jean's pillow and read briefly through it, before he got up and made the bed. He briefly stretched his muscles and cracked his stiff neck, just to run into a more than shocked Kitty when he left the room. Reading the girl's face, he rolled his eyes and closed the door behind him. "It's not what ya think," he grunted, even if he could tell that it seemed to be more than ridiculous saying it, since he wore his black boxers only and had just left a single woman's room.

"Okay…," Kitty nodded with a skeptical look on her face, noticing his warning glare before she turned around and tried to sort things out in her head, as she reached the room she shared with Rogue and Jubilee. Her friends of course instantly noticed the odd look on her face and looked up.

"What's wrong?" Jubilee asked her while she chewed a gum and produced a bubble with it shortly afterwards.

"Nothing…," Kitty waved off and closed the door behind her.

"Are you sure?" Rogue asked her skeptically and watched how her friend sat down on the bed, still looking as if Peter had just run past her naked.

"You look as if you've seen a ghost," Jubilee commented and still waited for her to tell them something interesting.

"No…," Kitty shook her head. "Only Logan…"

While Rogue looked down, Jubilee groaned. "C'mon!" she said with a cocked eyebrow. "You act as if he'd come out Dr. Grey's room naked!" Looking at her and hoping she would tell what was bothering her so much, the girl's chin suddenly dropped and instantly jumped on Kitty's bed with a grin. "Really?!" she asked and clapped her hands together in excitement, knowing full well that her favorite mutant at school was in for new gossip and that it was her who'd spread the news.

* * *

A few hours later, Jean returned from the playground with Michael on her hand and directly made her way to the kitchen for dinner after bringing her and his things back to her room. Inside the kitchen, everyone else was already gathered and greeted her rather depressed, since the Professor had told them before that there was another attack by the Brotherhood on humans only few minutes ago. Hearing it, Jean sighed. She knew this could only mean that there would soon be attacks on mutants in return, no matter if those could be held responsible for it or not. It was one thing that bothered her a lot when she thought about Michael's future, who, as soon as she'd let go of his hand, walked over to Logan's stool. "And? Did everything go well?" Ororo asked her friend, but Jean shook her head. 

"No, there was an older boy who kept on annoying Mikey," she said and made Logan look up briefly. "And the daddy of that boy had a hard time explaining him that the playground is for everyone and not only him." She briefly looked aside and was about to hand Michael his bottle, when she saw that the boy was still standing next to Logan, who was eating his dinner. "I really hope he starts speaking soon," she sighed. "I wonder why it takes him so long with it… I tried to teach him some words on the playground but he only looks at me as if I was speaking in a foreign language to him."

"He learned walkin', he'll learn how to speak, too," Logan said while he was still occupied with his meal. "Don't worry about that."

Smiling thankfully at him for his attempt to cheer her up, she lowered her gaze to her son again. "Come here, Mikey and let him eat," she said but the boy shook his head and pointed at Logan. "You can play later with him, sweety," Jean added. "Come here and eat your dinner."

"Listen to mommy, kiddo," this one said with a brief look at him, as Michael raised his arms and beckoned him to pull him up. "Later, okay?"

"He's your fan, Logan, live with that," Rogue smiled and watched the man beginning to eat his dessert, as the boy gave a protesting sound.

"Da-da!"

Freezing in his movement and seeing how everyone stared at the boy in shock, Logan cocked an eyebrow and looked down on him, too. "What?" he asked and hoped that he'd heard wrong but Michael reached up with his arms and repeated what he'd just said again…

**My update for today. I hope I can type up and update the next chapters in the next days. Hope you enjoyed reading. Please review! Also if you didn't like something. It's always important for me to know what you think. See ya!!**


	9. Chapter 9

**Author's note:** Thanks to all reviewers!!! This chapter contains my pre-written chapters 18-19.

I couldn't help put wrote a scene which is similar to the movie _Someone like you_. I just love this one. : )

**Don't forget, ya ain't alone, darlin'**

Since Jean had left the room after Michael had said the word, Logan left briefly afterwards since everyone was staring at him. Normally he wouldn't care, but somehow he was too shocked himself that he just couldn't stand it and needed to get away from them. He stopped at his room, ready to go inside when his eyes switched over to hers. Thinking about what would probably be the best thing to do, he finally knocked on hers after hesitating and went inside. Jean sat on her bed and it was more than visible that she'd been crying on her way upstairs and, as he knew, still before he'd opened the door. He remained at the door for a moment, before he walked over to her sat down. Unsure of what to say he heaved a deep breath. "Jean, I swear," Logan began calmly and shook his head. "I haven't taught him that…"

He heard her heaving a deep before she ran both hands through her tearstained face and swallowed hard. Still she didn't look at him. "I know…," she replied after a while and he was glad to have his heightened senses, otherwise he wouldn't have been able to understand her at all. "It's my fault."

"You fault?" Logan asked and cocked an eyebrow at her in confusion.

Jean turned her head to give him a brief look and nodded. "Mikey had been confused because of the father of that boy, so I explained to him that the man was the boy's daddy. He must have picked this up…," she explained and he nodded slowly. "I'm sorry, Logan… He shouldn't have…," she began briefly afterwards but he waved off.

"It's okay. I'm more worried about you," he said and heard the boy babbling in the other room. Not saying anything else for a while, Logan watched her from aside. "You alright?" he asked, sounding concerned and the redhead met his gaze with a nod, but also a weak smile.

Nodding, too, he got up and buried his hands in his pockets. "You should sleep. Ya look pretty tired, darlin'," he suggested and walked over to the door.

"Would you stay a bit longer?" Jean asked quickly and he gave her a surprised look. "Just if you don't mind…," she added shyly and looked down.

Still staying at the door, Logan shrugged. "If ya want me to," he said and watched how she moved aside on her bed to give him enough room. After making sure that Michael was already sleeping he laid down next to her and supported his head with one arm, while he watched how she played with her sheets next to him. "Is somethin' wrong?" he asked after a moment and made her stop.

"It's just…," Jean began and heaved a deep breath. "It hit me pretty hard to hear him say it… I mean of all words he picked this one…"

Nodding in understanding, Logan tilted his head a bit and noticed the tears in her eyes that she desperately tried to hold back. Not thinking twice he reached out and pulled her close, allowing her to cry into his neck, while he stroked soothingly over her back until she fell asleep.

When Logan opened his eyes again he noticed that it was morning already since the light was blinding him due to the open curtains. Blinking, he tried to move and frowned first since he couldn't, as he saw that Jean and him were closely cuddled up to each other and her position made it impossible for him to move, without taking her full weight with him. Smiling, he leant forward a bit to inhale her scent before he closed his eyes again and sighed heavily. A bit later the redhead began to stir in her sleep and opened one eye a bit. Seeing him, she smiled and closed her eyes again, just to frown and open them in a rush afterwards, when she became aware of him for real. Her heart instantly began to race as she noticed how close they actually laid next to each other and she tried to move without waking him up, which turned out to be more difficult than she'd thought. Not only was her arm wrapped around his waist, he also had his firmly around hers and held her in a tight, but comfortable grip, while her right leg rested on his hip and she was pressed against it. Ignoring her fast heartbeat she withdrew carefully and got up. Standing next to her bed, Jean ran a hand through her face first before she watched how Logan frowned in his sleep and reached out to the spot where she'd been before, obviously noticing that something was missing. Shaken and confused, the redhead heard Michael in the additional room and went over to get him, before she went down to the kitchen with the boy on her arm.

There she had just put him into the highchair when Ororo entered. "Morning," she greeted her and began to make some coffee. "Had a good night after the shock?"

"Ehm…yeah," Jean replied and gave her a weak smile while she prepared Michael's breakfast.

Noticing her friend's odd behavior, the weather goddess laid a hand on her shoulder. "Jean… I know it was a shock but," she began with a sympathetic look on her face. "Maybe Michael doesn't even know it anymore… Just don't start running around with that face again after finally feeling better."

Jean shook her head while feeding her son and made Ororo frown. "It's not because of yesterday…," she replied calmly and her friend stopped sipping on her cup.

"But?"

Sighing, the redhead shook her head once more. "Nothing…"

Giving her a look, Ororo put her cup down and crossed her arms before she came closer. "Come on, what's wrong? Was Logan angry because of it?"

"What?" Jean asked with a raised eyebrow. "No…"

"Then what's wrong with you?" her friend asked. "You look confuse and by the way you furrow your brows, I can tell that you're thinking about something. So what happened?"

Watching how Michael tried to eat alone, Jean shrugged, unsure of what to reply. "I slept with Logan…," she finally said and turned her head in a rush when she heard Ororo's loud and shocked gasp.

"You did what?!" that one asked and the redhead noticed her mistake.

"No, not that!" she quickly corrected herself. "Michael has shocked me a lot yesterday and Logan had listened to me. We must have fallen asleep on my bed, that's all…"

Nodding and still staring at her in disbelief, Ororo leant back against the counter to look out of the window. "What now?"

"What do you mean?" Jean asked her with a frown.

"I mean what you will do now?" her friend asked and noticed that the redhead still didn't understand what she meant with her question. "Don't you see your chance here, Jean? You could have happiness if you'd just allow it."

Looking at her questioningly while Michael began to play with the mash, Jean shook her head. "What do you have in mind?" she demanded to know and Ororo shrugged.

"You could be happy with Logan…," that one told her bluntly and received stare first and widened eyes next from her opposite. Sighing, she looked out of the window again with a serious look on her face. "Jean, Scott won't come back and he wouldn't have wanted you to grief forever. He would want you to be happy and live your life," she said, making Jean bite her lip hard and look down. "You liked Logan from the beginning and the two of you have grown so close together in the past months. And besides this, Michael obviously sees him as his parent," she went on and turned her head back to Jean, who was looking away. "Even if I've been a complete bitch towards him, but Logan really loves you and has taken care of you since the accident. And he's also helped you with the boy since Michael was born. You really have a real chance here, Jean. Not only have you, but also Michael has the chance to grow up with a father. You should really think about this…"

Not saying anything at all for a while and just watching how the boy had fun with the mash, Jean shook her head. "I don't know…," she replied barely audible and began to play with her shirt.

"Jean, honestly, you can't grief forever," Ororo said and made her look at her. "The only time I see you being happy and relaxed is with Logan. You even smile and laugh for real when he's around," she said and saw how the redhead wanted to say something when she cut her off. "_Only_ when he's around!" she quickly said and watched how her friend pulled the boy out of the highchair to let him crawl around.

"I can't do this," Jean mumbled.

"Why not?"

Turning around and leaning back against the counter, too, Jean shook her head. "I can't demand from Logan to be the father of a child that isn't his," she said and received a frustrated groan from the woman next to her.

"Jean," Ororo began slowly and gave her her best _don't be so stupid_-look. "You're so ridiculous, really! Logan already does take care of him as if he was his father, don't you see that?" she asked and crossed her arms again. "Come on, ask him later if he goes out seeing a movie with you. I'll watch over Michael."

Sighing, the redhead looked down, feeling completely torn. "I don't know if I should do this…," she said honestly.

"You need to get out of here again. The last time you did is two years ago," her friend went on, not giving up hope. "You can't hide forever in the mansion and be a mother only. You have a life, too!" With that she turned around and walked over to the door. "Ask him, Jean!" Ororo added before she left the redhead alone. A few minutes later, while she sat on a stool and was eating breakfast, she heard someone approaching in the corridor and looked up, just to be greeted with a smile.

"Hey," Logan said.

"Hi," Jean greeted back with a weak blush as she recalled the scene after she'd woken up.

"I'm sorry for fallin' asleep in your bed," he apologized and scratched the back of his head. "I didn't notice that I was so tired obviously."

Waving off, she got up. "Sit down," Jean said and he cocked an eyebrow at her, but did so.

Watching her searching through the boards in confusion, he briefly turned his head and smiled at Michael, who stood next to his stool and had both arms stretched in the air. "Hey, kiddo, he smiled and pulled him up so that the boy could sit on his lap, when he looked up in surprise as Jean placed a bowl with muesli, a spoon and milk in front of him. "Thanks," Logan smirked amused.

Sitting back down on her stool, Jean supported her head with one hand watched him eating in silence, before her eyes switched to her son, who held onto the man's shirt and leant against him. She still felt torn between what Ororo had said and what she thought about it, but in the end she knew that the only thing he could say was "no". "Do you have any plans for later?" she asked carefully and made him raise his head with a surprised look on his face. He shook his head. Nodding, Jean looked down and played with her shirt nervously. "I… Well, I wanted to go and see a movie. Ororo agreed on watching over Mikey, so… I asked myself if you'd accompany me…"

"Sure. Which one?" Logan replied, hiding his smirk since he could pick up too well on her nervousness and continued eating the muesli.

"I don't know," she shrugged and blushed a bit. "I'm not really up to date…"

Chuckling, he nodded. "Okay, me neither," he said and received a smile from her.

* * *

When they returned later at night, they walked down the corridor next to each other and stopped at his door. Feeling how her heart began to race again, Jean thought about something she could say to break the silence. "It's been nice," she managed to say, knowing that it probably sounded stupid, but Logan nodded. When their eyes met she gave him a smile and quickly looked away again, feeling how he kept on watching her. "It would be great of we could do this again…," she added barely audible after a moment and looked up, even if she held her head still lowered.

"Anytime," Logan replied and returned her smile, suppressing his urge to touch her flushed cheeks by burying his hands in his pockets.

"I…," Jean began and pointed at her door. "I should go check on Mikey," she managed to say and thought her heart would burst in her chest when she slowly began to walk backwards. "Good night, Logan."

"Night, Jeannie," he replied and remained on the spot until she disappeared into her room with a last, warm smile.

**That's it for today. Hope you had fun reading. ; ) Please review! See ya!**


	10. Chapter 10

**Author's note:** Thanks to all reviewers!!! This chapter contains my pre-written chapter 20.

As **Joy** requested, I put in a date scene additionally. Actually there wasn't one in my first draft. Hope you like it, Joy! ; ) Oh, and Logan's disgust for ducks is true! He says it in season 3, I think, of the animated series. But not why he feels like this.

**Don't forget, ya ain't alone, darlin'**

After four more months and a few more dates, Logan and Jean walked next to each other in a park in April, while Michael was chasing doves in front of them. They reached a lake after a while and stopped there, since Jean saw that her son was looking at the ducks in interest. Walking over to the lake with him, she explained the animals to the boy, while Logan remained in safe distance at a tree and crossed his arms while watching them. He smiled when he saw how Michael took a piece of the bread his mother offered him and began to feed the ducks with it. The blue of the boy's eyes was so light that he was able to see them perfectly from his position and he finally had the answer to the question, if Scott's eyes had been red, too. Apparently not. While he leant back against the tree and watched over them, his thoughts drifted off to a date they had about two months ago. It had been the first time after Scott's death that he'd heard her laughing again. A moment that had made him more than happy…

_It had been in early February when she'd told him she wanted to __go to a street party in Manhattan. They had taken a car instead of his bike, due to the snow that still covered the ground and streets. Ororo had often said during that time that she couldn't remember they ever had so much snow. After they'd arrived in the evening, they had walked through the streets and watched people passing by, celebrating and some even dancing. He'd only been able to shake his head. He'd rather shoot himself than dance on the street. He'd also been successful in avoiding cotton wool, even if she had bought herself one and tried to talk him into at least tasting it. Instead he'd chewed his sugared and had looked at her in surprise when she'd practically turned into a little child again and had wanted him to win a cuddly toy for her. Of course he'd done it. The only thing that had upset him was that he hadn't won the wolf he wanted, but the teddy bear she wanted. Nevertheless, he'd stopped pouting when she'd given him a happy smile. After spending a few hours with walking around, she'd spotted a poster on a street lamp that had announced a firework. "It's in fifteen minutes," Jean had said after looking on her watch._

"_So?" Logan had replied._

"_You're going into the wrong direction, Logan. The firework takes place over there," she'd complained when he'd begun to pull her with him._

"_Actually, darlin'," he's said. "You'll have a better view on it from over there." He'd pointed at the opposite site of the Hudson River."_

"_We'll never make it," the redhead had replied and had received a smirk from him._

"_Well, then you better start runnin'," Logan had said and she'd shrieked his name when he'd taken her hand and had started running towards the bridge._

_When they'd reached the opposite side of it out of breath, the first fireworks illuminated the dark sky. "See?" he's asked and tried to calm his heavy breathing. "Right on time…"_

"_Good for you!" Jean had replied and slapped him against his arm, before she'd gone over to the railing and leant over it to watch the firework._

_He'd stopped next to her, his hands buried in his pockets while he stared into the sky, too, before he'd given her looks from aside. "You cold?" he'd asked her since he'd noticed that she'd wrapped her arms around herself._

"_No…not really," Jean had replied and he couldn't help but roll his eyes, before he'd stepped behind her and pull her close._

"_What's with you girls and never admittin' it?" he'd asked her, feeling how tensed she was. They'd remained like that until the firework was over and he'd suggested they return to the car before she'd fetch a cold. In the car he couldn't help but smirk when she'd began to look at the teddy from all sides. "Now ya wanna have the wolf, eh?" he'd teased her, but she'd given her a shake of her head._

"_No chance, Logan," Jean had replied. "I think I'll give him your name…"_

"_My name?!" he'd asked. "Forget it. And besides, what makes ya think it's a boy, huh?"_

"_Of course it is. And besides what makes _you_ think it's not a boy?" she'd given back. _

"_Because it's an insult if that thing has my name, darlin'!" he'd replied and nodded at it._

"_Why? __It's a cute little teddy," she'd pouted and pulled it close, making him cock an eyebrow._

"_Not the only thing that's lil' about him," he'd mumbled and she's started at him. "What? It's true!"_

"_Men," she'd groaned and shaken her head, before she'd looked out of the window._

_When they'd reached the mansion again a few hours later and he'd parked __the car in the huge garage. He'd used the button on their way out, but somehow the automatic door was blocked and they'd gone outside to see what was wrong. "Great," Logan had cursed and began to work on it, closely watched by the redhead, who'd held her teddy-Logan close. _

"_You should watch it," she'd warned him. "If you pull too strong on it the snow on the roof can fall down__…"_

_Logan had given her a cocked eyebrow and with one strong pull he'd managed that the heavy door finally closed. "See?" he'd said and turned around. "Nothin' happened." Well, at least not as long as he'd said it. Because all of a sudden they'd heard a loud rumble and he'd not even managed to turn around as the whole load of snow crashed down on him.__ Being shocked first, Jean had burst out into laughter when he'd reappeared again and looked like one huge snowman that had escaped a horror movie. "This ain't funny!" Logan had growled and struggled with the thick snow that had held him captive. "Would ya mind helpin' me?!"_

_Still holding her belly and laughing her head off, the redhead had raised a hand and pulled him out of the mess with her powers. __Just as he'd finally stood on solid ground again he'd nearly slipped and fallen onto his butt, which made her laugh even harder. "Okay, that's it…," Logan had growled and had taken a great amount of snow, which had hit her only seconds later. _

"_Hey!" Jean had protested and had been hit by another snowball of him. _

"_Think that's funny, darlin'?" he'd asked and quickly turned around when she'd raised her hand, just to see how the snow began to float in the air. "That's unfair…"_

"_Is it?" she'd smiled, but hadn't reckoned with his quick jump before she'd let the snow crash onto the spot where he'd stood before. She'd only seen a shadow moving as he'd suddenly reappeared next to her and had grabbed her quickly, just to let her fall onto the huge pile of snow. _

"_My turn!" Logan had smirked and began to put snow on her, which had resulted in a snow fight that had soon woken up Ororo and some X-Men, who'd thought they'd been attacked and had run out of the mansion alarmed…_

Yes, it had been the first time she'd laughed freely and the happiness had also reached her eyes back then. And he still had to grin when he remembered how pissed Ororo and the others had been because of the false alarm. "Why are you not coming over?" he heard Jean asking and awoke from his daydream.

"No, thanks," Logan replied with a disgusted look.

When they proceed to walk further through the park, Jean gave him a look. "Why didn't you join us?"

"I hate ducks," he grunted and buried his hands in his pockets. "That's all."

Hearing it, she couldn't help but giggle. "Why's that?" she asked but he shrugged.

"Dunno. Must be a bad experience with them," Logan said and she laughed, just to link arms with him.

* * *

At the mansion, hank arrived for his weekly visit and was greeted by Ororo when she opened the door. Since she was still occupied with preparing lunch, he followed her to the kitchen and offered her his help. "Where's Jean?" he asked after a moment. "Isn't she usually helping you?"

"She's out," Ororo replied and put the potatoes into the pot.

"Alone?" Hank asked but the woman shook her head.

"No with Logan and Mikey," she said and he froze in his movements and gave her an odd look.

"Why with him?" he demanded to know and she turned around with a shrug.

"Why not?"

Giving a short laugh, Hank shook his head and put the meat into the pan. "I can't believe he's still trying it!" he said angrily.

Sighing loudly, she crossed her arms. "Logan really doesn't want Jean for his bed only, Hank! He's taken care of her and Mikey."

"Yeah?" the man replied skeptically and handed her the pan. "I could tell you some things about Wolverine that will make you think differently about him…"

Ororo put the pan onto the stove and shook her head. "I don't care. All I know is that he makes Jean happy and laugh again and that's more important to me than anything else," she said ad walked over to the door. "Could you watch over it, please? I still need to do some things." Waiting for his nod, she left the kitchen.

A bit later Jean entered and ran into Hank, who stood next to the stove. "I heard you were out with the Wolverine," he instantly said when she began to fill a feeding cup with juice and she nodded. "You shouldn't do this, Jean…"

Hearing it, she turned her head with a frown, since he somehow sounded concerned. "Why?"

"You don't know him." Hank told her and held her gaze.

"And?" Jean shrugged while closing the cup.

"I know some things about him."

"Which things?"

Giving the pan a short look, Hank shrugged and crossed his arms. "Things he's done in his life, for instance? What kind of person he is," he told her. "If you knew, you'd keep away from him and especially Michael. Wolverine's dangerous, Jean!"

"I doubt this!" Jean said with a skeptical look.

He shook his head. "You're wrong!" he replied. "Wolverine's is a trained assassin, he's killed people. He's the creation of some scientists of the government and they trained him to kill. He's an animal, Jean!"

Sighing, the redhead turned around and walked to the door, where she stopped again. "I know Logan, Hank," she told him, but the man shook his head. "I know that Logan is a gentle and kind man and I don't care what he has done in the past, even if I appreciate your concern. Now excuse me, but my son's thirsty." With that she turned around again, hearing how Hank spoke up.

"Do you love him?" Hearing it, she turned around to stare at him in shock. "You shouldn't do this…," he said again, but without replying anything, she left.

Upstairs she found Logan sitting on the ground with Michael on his lap, while he tried to teach him new words out of the book that lay on the ground in front of them. Smiling, she closed the door and joined them, handing her son the cup, which he instantly took, while she gave Logan a thoughtful look.

When they took a walk through the garden in the evening, he noticed that she was awfully calm; something that he'd also noticed during dinner. Before he could ask if something was wrong, she turned her head and looked at him. "Can I ask you something?"

"Sure," Logan shrugged and watched how she bit her lip nervously. While they kept on walking he listened to what Hank had told her and kept his eyes on the ground.

"Is it true?" Jean asked and looked at the man next to her who had his hands buried in his pockets, but Logan remained silent first.

"I don't know," he finally said. "It's possible…"

Nodding, she looked away. "Hank's given me the advice to stay away from you," she admitted calmly and he instantly looked back at her with furrowed brows. "But I don't care," she added when they reached the pond and he smiled in relief. Smiling back, she looked up into the clear sky and especially at the full moon that always fascinated her.

Noticing that she shivered, Logan stepped a bit closer. "You cold?" he asked, already knowing her answer.

"No," Jean replied without lowering her head and he chuckled.

"As I thought," he smirked and pulled her close. "Liar!" he added teasingly when she leant into him with a smile. Just standing there for a while, he rested his head on hers for a moment as she suddenly looked up and met his eyes. Drowning into hers, he reached out and touched her cheek softly to stroke over it, before he made use of his chance and placed a careful kiss onto her lips. Pulling away, Logan waited for her reaction and felt relieved to see that she was smiling.

"We should get back inside," Jean suggested and he nodded. Inside they stopped at her door and he was about to say good night, when she bit her lip. "W…would you stay with me?" she asked him shyly and played with her jacket nervously, unsure of what he would think about her request.

"If you want it," Logan shrugged and she opened her door with a smile to pull him into it. Inside, she disappeared into the bathroom while he looked around a bit first, before he checked on the sleeping Michael. After he'd disappeared into the bathroom, Jean began to prepare the bed, hopped into it and gasped when he returned. Not knowing what was wrong all of a sudden, Logan cocked an eyebrow at her. "Somethin' wrong?" he asked and closed the door behind him, seeing how she eyed him from head to toe.

"Do you always sleep in boxers only?" Jean asked calmly and pointed at his tight, black ones.

Coming closer he nodded. "Either that or naked," he said truthfully. "Why?"

"Well…I'm used to a shirt," she replied in a calm voice and eyed him again.

"I can get one if it makes ya feel better," Logan offered but she shook her head and patted the empty spot next to her. She waited for him to lie down before she switched the lights off and tried to calm her racing heart. She noticed that he didn't move an inch and wondered what he was thinking, but didn't know at the same time what to do either. Part of her wanted him to move closer, while the other was a bit scared to just pull him over to her. She didn't want him to get a false impression. In the meanwhile, Logan had stared at the ceiling first, before he turned his head to look at her in the dark. He couldn't believe that he really felt nervous. He never did when he was with a woman and he doubted that he felt this way because it was long ago that he'd shared a bad with someone. He wanted to move over, but didn't know if she wanted it, too. Sighing, he finally gave in to his urge and thought he could at least roll onto his right side. Doing it, he waited a moment before he reached out and wrapped his left arm around her waist; still keeping a distance and waiting for her reaction. It didn't take long and he felt how Jean covered his arm with hers, just to entwine her hand with his. Smiling, Logan finally felt encouraged enough to cuddle up to her and place a kiss onto her shoulder. "Night," he whispered into her ear and leant his head against hers, as she smiled in the dark.

"Night," Jean replied sleepily and, due to the comfortable feeling, soon drifted off to sleep…

**Okay, that's it for today. I hope you guys enjoyed reading it. Please review, too, since it's important to know for the author to get to know about the "I liked…" and "I didn't like****…"'s of the readers. So please keep that in mind, even if you only write a good or not good, okay? ; ) See ya!!**


	11. Chapter 11

**Author's note:** Great to see that you still like it. : ) This chapter contains my pre-written summary to chapter 21. Enjoy and please review! ; )

**Don't forget, ya ain't alone, darlin'**

On the next morning when Logan woke up due to the sunlight fallen into his face, he felt that Jean's body was pressed against his while she had her arms around his waist and slept on his chest with her head. Smiling and feeling more than happy he also became aware of the uncomfortable pressure in his lower body part and let out a frustrated sigh. He let reluctantly go of her, causing her to stir in her sleep and reaching out to pull him closer again, and turned around. Noticing it in her deep slumber, the redhead instantly cuddled up to him from behind and heaved a deep, satisfied sigh which made him smirk. He closed his eyes again for a moment and tried to think about everything but her well shaped body to easy the pressure and hoped she wouldn't wake up before he'd managed to get rid of it. But of course she didn't do him the favor and began to move behind him. When Jean opened her eyes and noticed that he was still there, she smiled pleasantly. "Morning," she said, her voice still thick with sleep.

"Mornin'," Logan greeted back and she sat up to stretch and ran a hand through her face.

"Had a good night?" she asked.

"Yeah, you?"

Smiling, Jean looked at his back, ignoring for a moment her question why he wasn't turning around and got up. "Do you watch over Michael till lunch while I've classes?" she asked.

"Sure," Logan replied and hoped it didn't seem too odd that he wasn't turning around.

Smiling the redhead got up, grabbed fresh clothing and disappeared into the bathroom. He could soon hear how the water was running and buried his face into the pillow with a frustrated groan. He tried to think about anything that was usually turning him off instantly, but his thoughts kept on switching to the nice looking redhead under the shower. Frustrated to his limits, he wanted to turn onto his belly and let out one curse after the next since he couldn't do that either.

When Jean left the bathroom and looked at the bed, she had to frown since he was still lying on the same spot. "Is something wrong?" she asked skeptically but also a bit worried by now, but he shook his head. "Why are you not getting up then?" she asked and came a bit closer.

Sighing and, even if he usually didn't give a damn, he knew it would become embarrassing for him now. "I can't…," was all Logan said and it earned him a frown.

"Why?"

He ran a hand through his face when his frustration reached its peak. "Because of ya…," he replied honestly and she sat down on the edge of the bed next to him, clearly confused.

"Why?" Jean asked again. "What's wrong?"

Looking at her for a moment, he sighed in defeat. "It's just…," he began and looked for the right words, not believing that she really managed to even make him speechless. Another thing which never happened usually… "I'm just not used anymore to sleep next to a woman…," he finally admitted and looked briefly down. Yeah, he really felt embarrassed and couldn't believe it.

Jean looked back at him for a moment until she gave him a nod, signaling that she'd understood what he was referring to and got up to walk to the door. Closing his eyes briefly, Logan cursed himself and thought he'd screwed up. He definitely had. He didn't even want to know what she was thinking about him now… Turning around at the door, Jean gave him an amused smile. "Well, then I think you should try and take an ice cold shower, hm?" she asked and he cocked an eyebrow at her in surprise first, before he smirked. "See you later then," she added with another smile and left. Chuckling, Logan finally turned around to lie on his back, ignoring that he turned the sheets into a small tent. "Screw that," he thought and jumped out of bed to take a long shower.

After he'd gotten dressed he went over to Michael's room. The boy already stood in his bed and held onto the wooden bars, rocking back and forth impatiently and waiting for someone to pull him out of it. When he heard how the door was opened and saw Logan coming inside, he instantly began to smile and laugh happily and reached out with his tiny arms to beckon him to pull him up. "Hey, kiddo," Logan greeted him with a smile and fulfilled his wish. He placed a kiss onto the boy's forehead and prepared him for the day. "You grow way to fast, pal," he complained and searched through the clothing until he found what he was looking for. Smirking, he pulled the grayish hood shirt out of the drawer which he'd gotten for the boy a few months ago, but which had been too big until now. Jean had only smiled when she'd seen that there was a cute looking wolf onto it. Of course a wolf, what else, he thought and began to dress the boy, combining the shirt with blue jeans. "Now ya look good," Logan smiled and pulled him down to take his hand. "Come on, we go and see if mommy had left something over in the fridge. He walked down the corridor with the boy on his hand and helped him with the stairs. Of course he had to run into Jubilee and her girls' gang.

"Wolvie, this is just too cute!" she purred and winked at him. "You'd be number 1 in the _Hot Daddies_ ranking on VH1!"

"Shut up, Jubes!" Logan grunted and pulled Michael up who had looked at the girls curiously.

"Honestly, Mr. Logan," one of the other girls said. "She's right!"

Hearing their giggles he rolled his eyes in annoyance and made his way to the kitchen, where he began to prepare breakfast for the boy and him. Ignoring that Hank was still sitting at the counter and reading his newspaper. Or better he's read it until he'd seen Logan entering the room. Sitting on the counter next to his _da-da_, Michael watched how Logan prepared his breakfast and took his cup with a happy smile, just to begin drinking his juice. ""Where have you been last evening?" Hank asked all of a sudden and made Logan look up briefly before he went on with his work.

"Why?" he grunted.

"Because I've knocked on your door and you haven't been in it till past midnight," Hank explained and saw how the other man shrugged. "Have you stayed with Jean?"

Sighing, Logan began to feed Michael, or better supervised him while the boy tried to eat on his own. "What is it to ya?" he snapped at the blue mutant, who'd put his newspaper down.

"A lot," this one replied. "Jean is like a sister for me. I've read your file, Wolverine, and I know what kind of person you are!"

Meeting Hank's glare, Logan shrugged again. "Yeah?" he asked arrogantly. "Then ya know more than I do." With that he turned back to the laughing boy, who'd fun to play with his food. "Ah, ah," the grown up said and Michael looked up. "Don't play with food, pal."

Getting off his stool, Hank walked over to Logan. "I want you to stay away from her!" he told him again and received a cocked eyebrow.

"That's Jeannie's decision," Logan gave back. "Not yours!"

Giving a snort and a brief snarl, the other man crossed his arms. "You're only trying to hit ion her, that's all," he said. "You're using her because she's lonely and vulnerable."

Nodding impressed, Logan gave a brief smirk. "Oh, I heard that before…," he mocked and took the empty bowl from the boy to put it into the dishwasher.

Snarling again, Hank faced him. "Stay away from her!" he said once more and narrowed his eyes. "From Jean and the boy!" Glaring at Logan, he turned towards the boy and pulled him up. Realizing that the uncle wanted to leave with him, Michael reached out over Hank's shoulder and started crying.

"Da-da!" he cried and began to fight against Hank, trying to reach Logan, who was watching the scene with a cocked eyebrow.

Only smirking at Hank, since he knew the boy would react that way, he enjoyed the angry look he received from the other man. Not waiting for another second, he took Michael back into his arms and the boy instantly wrapped his arms around his neck to sob into his shirt. "It's okay," Logan tried to soothe him with a calm voice. "Did this furry Cookie monster scare ya?"

Snarling because of the hidden insult, Hank was about to say something, when Jean entered the kitchen with a frown. "What's going on here?" she demanded to know since she'd heard her son crying even down the corridor.

"He scared him," Logan grunted with a nod at Hank and still rocked the sobbing boy in his arms with a glare at the mutant.

"I only told him to stay away from you and the boy," Hank defended himself after he'd noticed Jean's questioning look. Switching her eyes to Logan and silently asking with her eyes if that was true, she received a nod from him. Sighing, she went over to him and her son to stroke over the boy's brown hair, while he still sobbed into Logan's neck aloud. "He shouldn't even be at the school, Jean!" he added and the redhead turned angrily around.

"It's my decision, Hank and I trust and know Logan!" she snapped.

"You're wrong! You shouldn't trust him!" the man gave back with another glare at Logan.

"It's my damn business!" she shot back a bit louder. "Stay out of it!" Giving him a glare, she turned back to Logan and heaved a deep breath to calm herself again. "I've got to go back to my classes," Jean told him calmly and Logan nodded.

"I'm on the playground till lunch," he told her and she nodded with a weak smile, before she bent forward to give him and Michael a kiss on the cheek.

Shaking his head, Hank glared at Logan when this one left the room with Jean and the boy. Not knowing what else to do, he went over to Charles' office a bit later to talk with him about his worries. After telling and describing exactly what he'd read in the file and that he thought it was more than a bad idea to have the Wolverine running around a school with children, he added that he can't understand why the Professor allowed him to live here.

"Hank," Charles said and leant back a bit. "I can understand your worries, but I can assure you that Logan I everything but not a thread to the school. He has made so much progress since he first stepped into this school and I am glad that he decided to stay here, that he's part of the team. The children feel safe with Logan around and I must admit that I feel the same way. No alarm system of the world works as accurate as Logan's senses and he's not only proven once that he can protect us if necessary. If Logan wanted to kill us, he'd have already done it!" Exchanging a look with the still skeptical Hank, he sighed.

"Charles, Logan is a killer!" his opposite replied while his arms were crossed. "He is a trained assassin, he was created to kill people…"

"I know," the Professor said. "And Logan probably knows, too, still he doesn't do it. The people who did those things to him wanted to control him, to turn him into a killing machine, but Logan can not be controlled. His will is far too strong to be suppressed by others. He makes decisions on his own and he decided not to do what he was told to do. He's a good man, you would realize that, too, if you gave him the chance to proof himself." Realizing that Hank wouldn't reply to this, he went on, "I have seen how much Logan has changed. He was a loner and didn't care about others when he first arrived here, because his trust in people was destroyed. And now look at him! The children look up to him, they ask him for support and he has learned, too, that living alone can't be a long term decision. And then look at Jean! She needs him! She's happy for the first time after Scott's death," he said with a stern look on his face. "Despite Logan's feral nature and his strong will to run, he still needs the stability of a home and he has those things here. And therefore, no matter if you thing otherwise about it, I don't even think about sending him away. Especially not after Jean finally feels better again." He paused for a brief moment again. "You should take your time, Hank, and try to get to know Logan better," Charles added with a stern look. "And now excuse me but I still have some grading to do." With that he turned back to his work and heard how Hank left after a moment of silence.

* * *

A few days later after another date, Jean stood in Logan's room at night and took a look around. She couldn't help but smile, since it was the first time his room was tidied up and she would even dare to eat from the ground. She heard him closing the door and coming closer. Turning around with a smile, which he returned, she watched how he stopped in front of her. "I never thought you can dance," she giggled and grabbed his shirt to pull him a bit closer. 

Wobbling his head before he shrugged, Logan replied with a smirk and brief chuckle, "Me neither."

Smiling, Jean came a bit closer to touch his cheek, feeling how he leant into his touch before they leant into each other and kissed. They slowly began to deepen it and she reached out to place her hand on his neck in hope she could even pull him closer, while he caressed her tongue softly. Both slowly began to undress the other and walked backwards with small steps until they landed on his bed. She briefly arched her back when the cold sheets sent shivers down her spine, when she realized that it wasn't at all the bed's fault but his warm skin touching hers. Since both were only in their underwear only, she felt how nervousness began to spread within her as she reached out for his waistband and intended to pull his tight black boxers down. "Wait!" Logan gasped and quickly took her hand into his.

Surprised not to feel his lips on hers anymore, the redhead looked at him with confusion clearly written in her eyes. "What's wrong?" she asked insecurely.

"We shouldn't do this," he replied calmly and was about to stroke over her cheek, when she sat up a bit.

"Why?" Jean demanded to know with a frown.

"We should take it slow," Logan said in the same calm voice and finally stroked over her flushed cheek. "I don't want to make the same mistakes I made in the past with you, that's all…" He scanned her face with his eyes, since she had lowered her head and was relieved to receive a nod from her. Smiling thankfully, he bent forward to kiss her again, before he rolled over and under the sheets with her half on top of him. Cuddling with each other for a while, they soon fell asleep…

**I know that cammiegurl is biting into her keyboard right now, am I right? Just let me know! LOL ; ) Hope you guys liked that chapter! Please review and thanks to all the nice reviews I got for the last chapters: ) See ya! **


	12. Chapter 12

**Author's note:** This chapter contains my pre-written summary to chapter 22. Enjoy and please review! ; )

**Don't forget, ya ain't alone, darlin'**

On the next morning, Logan was already in the kitchen with Michael on his lap and surrounded by the others, when Jean entered the room, looking rather stressed. She greeted the other with a brief "Morning" before she went over to her son and gave him a kiss on the forehead, just to cause every chin to drop and all eyes to widen as she kissed Logan on the mouth. They figured there must have been a change between them, since usually she only gave him a kiss on the cheek from time to time. Not caring about the stares, he pulled her close with a smile and one arm. "Why didn't you wake me?" Jean asked and stole a pancake from his plate just to grab his coffee mug next.

"Ya just looked as if ya could need a bit more sleep, darlin'," he shrugged and nuzzled her neck with his nose.

Watching them interacting for a bit longer, until Jean gave him and her son another kiss, just to grab her papers and leave for her classes, Ororo grabbed hers, too, and followed her. "And?" she asked her while she fell into step with her best friend.

"And what?" the redhead asked back with a frown.

"What's he like?" Ororo asked and rolled her eyes. Seeing the questioning look that her friend gave her, she groaned. "Is he good in bed?" Stopping abruptly with a clearly visible blush on her cheeks, Jean stared at her in shock, not only because of this bluntness. "Come on," her best friend went on with a grin. "You gave him a kiss on the mouth and if he wasn't a complete disappointment, I doubt you'd have done this and wouldn't look so happy."

"We didn't do it…," Jean said calmly and looked away, still not believing that her friend really wanted to have details.

Instead of looking amused at her, Ororo's mimic had changed into an unbelievable shocked look. "What? Why not?!" she asked and heard how the redhead let out a deep sigh.

Shrugging, Jean met her friend's blank look again. "Logan didn't want it…"

"WHAT?!" her opposite asked and the redhead turned her head quickly to see if by now anyone was coming closer, since Ororo was rather loud. "He refused to sleep with you?!" she heard her asking in complete disbelief now. "You're kidding now, right?"

"No, he just wants to take it slow, since he doesn't want to make the same mistakes as he'd done in his past," Jean explained and her friends look changed again.

"Cute!" the weather goddess purred this time with a wide smile on her lips and Jean couldn't help but roll her eyes and gave her a slap against the shoulder. "But are the two of you at least an official couple now?" Ororo asked next. "Because there are enough bets going in this school!"

Thinking about it, Jean shrugged. "I don't know," she replied and looked down.

Sighing in frustration, Ororo crossed her arms and gave her a look. "Well, I've got to go and stop Jubilee from spreading assumptions." Winking at her with a grin, she headed down the hall towards her classroom, leaving Jean shaking her head.

Later during a break, Ororo entered the kitchen to drink a coffee, where she ran into Logan, who was occupied with watching Michael drinking from his cup. Smiling, she began to pour herself some from the dark liquid and turned around. "Can I ask you something?" she asked, making him raise his head for a brief moment, just to receive a shrug. Ignoring it, she went on. "So…are you and Jean an item now?" Waiting for him to say something, all she got was another shrug and she groaned in frustration. "How can the two of you not know it?!" she asked him in disbelief, but received a sigh only this time. Emptying her cup, Ororo left the kitchen with a shake of her head and returned to her classroom.

In the kitchen, Logan crossed his arms and began to think about it, while his eyes were still on the boy in front of him. In fact, he had no idea if they were a couple now or not, or just good friends who shared a bed and kiss from time to time. "Da-da," Michael suddenly said and he awoke from his daydream. He realized that the boy was holding his empty cup up and wanted him to put it away. After doing it, he took the boy's hand and walked back outside to the playground with him.

* * *

When Jean returned to her room later in the evening, he was sitting on her bed and a brief look into the other room told her that her son was deeply asleep. "Sorry, the meeting took longer than I thought. Is something wrong?" she asked since the look on his face was rather weird.

"Did 'Ro talk with ya?" Logan asked back and she nodded after a moment. Getting up he took her hand into his, which made her frown. She knew something was wrong by the way he was suddenly acting, but before she could ask he looked back into her eyes. "What do you want?"

Looking at him, Jean bit her lip and fixed her eyes on the ground, while he waited. "It depends on you," she finally replied, making him frown this time. "If you give us a chance you have to think about Mikey, too. You'll be his father figure then," she said, seeing how he nodded slowly just to look down afterwards. Instantly she thought he would say no and back out because of the responsibility he'd have then.

But he smirked. "Haven't I been some kind of father figure in the past two years already?" Logan asked while wobbling his head and tilted it a bit to look at her.

"Actually, yes," Jean replied. "But if you agree, Logan, it won't be a few more years only, but forever. You can't go away anymore whenever you want or stay away for some nights. You have to be available for 24/7 and take over the complete responsibility a real father would have."

"I know that…"

"And?" she asked hopefully, again biting her lip due to her nervousness.

Reaching out, Logan pulled her closer and stroked gently over her cheek. "I see him as my kid, Jean. I love him as if he was my own…," he admitted calmly and noticed that she was surprised. "I've been there when he was born and held him. I can't imagine havin' that ankle biter not around anymore." Smirking, since Jean smiled at him happily he was taken in a strong embrace by her for a moment, before she pulled him into a kiss. Breaking it after a while, they still held each other close when their eyes met. Logan kept on stroking over her cheeks, not able to look away as he lowered his head to kiss her lightly again. Switching to a slow caressing that began to deepen, he reached out to close the door to Michael's room and led her slowly over to the bed…

**I know this one is very short, but the next one will be way longer and shocking, with an evil cliffie again. Well, I can't help it, I love to write those things. ; ) Thanks to all reviewers!! Hope to see you guys soon! ; )**


	13. Chapter 13

**Author's note:** This chapter contains my pre-written summary to chapter 23. Enjoy and please review! ; )

**Don't forget, ya ain't alone, darlin'**

Jean awoke in Logan's arms due to someone knocking on her room door. She opened her eyes a bit and looked up, sighing loudly since she didn't want to leave his comfortable embrace or miss the warmth he was spreading. As another knock could be heard, the redhead rolled her eyes and took the blanket from a chair to wrap it around her nude form. She shivered when she walked over to the door and ran a hand through her face before she opened it. In front of it stood Ororo, fully dressed and gave her best friend a surprised look, since she hadn't expected to see her like this. "I'm sorry for the interruption," she apologized. "But is Logan here? The Professor has located the Brotherhood and we need him for the mission."

"I'll wake him," Jean said sleepily and was about to close the door, when Ororo gave her a big smile.

"So, I can finally get to know what he's like, huh?" she grinned.

The redhead rolled her eyes, but couldn't hide a weak blush and smile. She closed the door behind her and went over to the bed, where she sat down on the edge and reached out to stroke through his messy hair. She smiled since he looked like a little boy in his sleep. He looked so peaceful and relaxed that she could tell it was probably the first time in months or even years that he slept like this. She bent forward to give him a light kiss on his temple, which made him stir first and open his eyes next. Obviously he hadn't been as deeply asleep as she'd thought. "Hey," she said calmly and kept on stroking through his hair, while Logan blinked at her sleepily. "'Ro has just been here. They need you for a mission…"

Letting out a loud, frustrated sigh, he ran a hand through his face and hair. "Great," he cursed and sat up, before he got out of bed to get dressed.

Watching him doing so, Jean grabbed his hand after he was fully dressed. He turned with a cocked eyebrow. "Promise me to be careful," she begged him and he heard the fear in her voice.

Smirking he bent down to kiss her softly. "'f course," he replied and stroked over her cheek with a smile. "I love ya…," he added calmly and she looked down with a smile and flushed cheeks. Kissing her again, Logan finally left the room to make his way to the basement; still slightly pissed that he had to leave his comfortable position in bed…

* * *

After a short flight the X-Men landed close to a wood at the Canadian border. Together they made their way through it until Logan could hear voices. He gave them a sign to follow him as quietly as possible and he led them to a bank from which they could watch the Brotherhood. Around Magneto were his casual followers. Mystique and Pyro on his right, Juggernaut behind him and if he wasn't mistaken, he could also see Toad on his left. "Do you want to lead?" Ororo asked him in a whisper, but Logan cocked an eyebrow at her.

"No, thanks," he replied with a look at his adversaries.

"As I thought," she nodded with a small smile.

"We should try and encircle'em for a better overview," he said and narrowed his eyes while his brain was working. "Popsicle, Rogue and Kitty come with me, the Tinman and the Furball go with ya."

Cocking an eyebrow at him now, Ororo smirked. "Didn't you just say _no leadership_?!" she asked and he smirked with a shrug.

"Never mind…," Logan replied. "Go ahead!"

"You've heard what he's said," Storm told the others. "Be careful!"

With that they split and made their way around the camp in opposite directions. "He seems to be more relaxed, don't you think?" Colossus asked, meaning Logan with it, but Hank snorted.

"I wonder what the reason is," this one snarled cynically.

"Hush!" Ororo made with a glare, knowing that Magneto probably had mutants around him with enhanced hearing and if they talked that loud, they could walk directly past Magneto and wave at him. It would have the same effect in the end…

While they encircled their adversaries, they listened to Magneto's speech which included his favorite topic again: the necessity of mutants fighting and destroying humans. Over the years, as also Charles had to notice sadly, Magneto's methods had become even more violent and by now he, as he'd proven with Rogue, didn't even recoil from using mutants for his aim. As Logan had often said before: he was more like a mutant terrorist and dictator that didn't care about others. Mutants were his personal pawns that were often sent into their own destruction and often Magneto caused more damage to his own group than to others. Just with the fact that he sometimes didn't realize it… And again, as the X-Men saw, the mutants that listened to him were too blinded by his words that they blindly agreed with him.

Seeing it, Logan shook his head with a scornful snort. "No better than Hitler and all those assholes…," he mumbled more to himself than to the younger teammates behind him.

"Ororo's in position, Rogue whispered and he switched his attention to the woman on the other side that gave him a nod. He nodded back.

"What now?" he heard Iceman asking and gave him a brief look.

"We wait and see if Mags mentions what he's up to," Logan grunted and turned back to the scenery in front of him. Magneto was speaking about the necessity of fighting against humans, since them, homo superior, were the new dominant species of the planet.

"And then…," they heard Magneto saying and Logan could see the smile on the old man's lips. "…are there those mutants that turn against their own kind…"

"Run!" Logan suddenly said and earned confused looks from his teammates.

"Why?" Rogue asked and noticed the strange look on her friend's face.

"Because I can't move…," he hissed and was suddenly raised into the air.

Storm gasped when she saw it from her position and instantly told everyone over her headset to watch out and meet at the former bank to regroup.

"Ororo, watch out!" Beast suddenly yelled when the ground began to vibrate. Her eyes widened when she saw Juggernaut running her way, felling one tree after the other that came into his way. The same the mutant had done to Scott and had him first knocked unconscious by hitting him, before he had sent their friend flying over the cliff into the sea. She still shuddered by the thought of it. On the other site, Pyro had run towards Iceman and Rogue to throw a huge flame at them, which Bobby quickly froze just to attack him on his own. Not knowing what else to do, Rogue did as he told her and hid behind his back. Her eyes looked up and watched hoe Logan groaned in pain. She could tell that Magneto was obviously tearing his bones apart with his powers. Beast, in the meanwhile, snarled at Mystique, who'd come closer with a smile on her lips. He began to feel a bit nervous when she changed into Wolverine and gave him a good view on the faked claws. Nevertheless, he went into a crouch and leapt at her with a roar. With white eyes, Storm summoned lighting and threw it at Juggernaut. She'd barely managed to jump aside before he would have hit her and wanted to use her chance for an attack, since he tried to stop and was now getting ready for another one. Throwing all her powers into his direction, she heard him letting out a yelp and watched how he stumbled. Nevertheless, he was soon getting ready again. Storm looked quickly around and realized that they had to flee. There was no other way right now. "Everyone," she said by using the headset, "…runback to the jet. We retreat!" She used her powers again to attack all adversaries around them and watched how the weaker Brotherhood members ran away, obviously scared because of the lightning. Bobby, as Storm could see, had managed to knock Pyro out with Rogue's help, while Beast had slammed the fake-Wolverine against a nearby tree. Due to the impact Mystique had been forced to shift back and lay unconscious on the ground. "Where's Logan?" she asked aloud, hearing how Colossus managed to lure Juggernaut against a rock face. The loud _bang_ their adversary made, when he hit the rock, told her that he was knocked out, too. But her relief about it was soon forgotten when Storm saw that Logan was still held captive by Magneto, who wasn't impressed at all by all the lightning around him. "We have to help him," she said and turned to the others, as she saw how more Brotherhood members suddenly stepped out of their hiding between the dark trees. "Watch out!"

"There are too many, Storm!" Kitty yelled. "We can't win!"

"She's right, we have to…," Collossus began as their heads jerked up, since Logan let out a loud yell. They watched helplessly how Magneto sent him flying backwards through the trees and heard how he crashed against several ones, which breached due to the impact.

"Run!" Storm yelled and together they made their way back to the jet; constantly following the noises of breaching trees, until they suddenly heard a loud, hollow _thud_ only, which was followed by cracking noises when, as she guessed, Logan fell down and hit several branches. At the end they only hear another hollow sound and knew he's hit the ground hard. "Hank, can you tell where her is?!" Storm asked panicky and checked if they were being followed by their enemies. But they weren't. "Come on, guys, split and try to find him!" she added and began to look around, while the others spread out. She let her eyes travel through the area, but couldn't find any sign of her teammate. "Damn it…," she curses and was about to ask Beast, who was searching the area on her far left, when she heard Rogue screaming. The shrill, terrified sound sent shivers down her spine. She knew instantly that what the girl had found was bad. Probably more than bad… Within seconds Storm was next to Rogue and saw that her teammate's eyes were fixed on something on the ground. Her eyes switched to the spot and she froze. "No…" She pressed her hand over her mouth in shock when she saw Logan lying on the ground and covered with leaves and branches. When Beast turned him carefully around, a gasp escaped her lips, since she became aware of how badly injured he actually was…

**Thanks to all reviewers! I'll try to update soon again. Since tomorrow is a holiday here in Germany and I don't have college today and tomorrow, too, I should be able to update this one and Changes. So, please review! ; ) See ya!**


	14. Chapter 14

**Author's note:** This chapter contains my pre-written summary to chapter 24. Enjoy and please review! ; )

**AliasSpyCrazy: Don't tell me you didn't get my mail: ( I already wondered why you didn't write back. Damn technique… I'll write it again then. ; )**

**Don't forget, ya ain't alone, darlin'**

The Professor sat in his wheelchair and waited impatiently for the arrival of the jet. He'd received the call Storm had given him and knew about the condition Logan was in. He'd thought about it earlier. He knew how much his old friend hated the mutant for destroying his plan on Liberty Island and he should have known that he'd take revenge if he has the chance to. Charles looked up when the engines of the jet could be heard and hoped that Jean was deeply asleep and wouldn't hear it. He could only guess what Logan looked like and didn't want her to see it or even get to know about it. He knew she would probably freak out after what had happened to Scott. When the engines went out, he moved forward and through the opening door. He could see how Storm, Bobby with Rogue in his arm left the jet, just to be followed by Kitty. All had a serious look on their face, Rogue was even crying heavily and he already reckoned with the worst, as Hank and Peter carried a very limb looking Logan out of the jet next. Charles nodded at them briefly and followed them to the infirmary, where the two men put their teammate onto one of the beds. Hank instantly went over to grab a lab coat and told them to leave so that he could start working. On the outside, Ororo leant against the wall, both arms crossed and stared at the ground, while Bobby and Kitty brought Rogue upstairs. "What happened?" the Professor asked, when also Colossus left and gave the woman a serious, but also very concerned look.

"I don't know," she shrugged and ran a hand through her face. "Magneto surprised us with an attack. While he kept Logan immobile in the air, the others attacked us and when we were about to retreat, he sent him flying through the air… It happened so fast…"

He nodded and heaved a deep sigh, as the door suddenly opened and Hank appeared. "Ororo, I need you in there," was all he said and she quickly followed him. She froze on the spot in shock when she saw her teammate without the uniform for the first time. Even without any medical knowledge did she knew that it looked more than bad. "I already relocated his right arm," Hank told her and went around the table.

"Why is he still bleeding?" Ororo asked calmly. She heard herself asking it, but somehow it appeared as if the voice came from very far away. "Why is he not healing…?"

"I don't know," he replied and shook his head, while he got the things he needed out of a cupboard. "I need you to press this onto his ribcage immediately after I pulled the branch out of it," he said when he stood on the opposite side of the bed again. "I can't risk that he looses even more blood. It's already enough that his wounds won't stop bleeding and we need to hurry before his circulation collapses." Ororo nodded and bent forward a bit when he grabbed the branch. "On three," Hank said. "One, two…" He quickly pulled the branch out of the ribcage and she did as she was told and pressed the bandage onto the heavily bleeding wound with both hands. She watched how he began to take care of the arterial wound on the left thigh and heard him mumbling that he has to stop the injury from bleeding. She couldn't stop herself from beginning to shake when her eyes automatically switched to the monitor that monitored the heart rate. Even she could tell that it was weak and sometimes irregular.

"Will he make it?" she asked Hank frightened and met his gaze when the man looked up. "To me it seems as if the blood won't stop flowing…"

"I don't know…," he said honestly with a look on the monitor, as suddenly the door behind her opened and Jean came inside. Both watched how the fast steps of the redhead slowed down, just to gain speed again as she became aware of what was going on. Her eyes were fixed on the man that still lay motionless on the bed and she covered her mouth with one hand in shock.

"No…," she gasped and stopped next to Ororo.

"Jean, I need your help with the wounds," Hank said, waiting for a reaction but there was none. "Jean!" he said aloud and she startled, giving him a confused look. He repeated his demand again and watched how she began to help him treating the wounds like in trance. It took some time before they were done and he noticed that Jean was in some state of shock. He knew she did her work automatically, but he was also sure that she didn't understand what she was doing at all. "Ororo, would you bring her upstairs?" Hank asked, receiving a nod from the woman, before this one laid an arm around her friend to lead her upstairs.

Reaching the redhead's room, she waited for her to sit down on the bed, while Ororo closed the door in the meanwhile. She noticed that Jean was staring at the ground still completely shocked and quivered slightly. Not knowing what else to do, she sat down next to her friend and put an arm around her. "He's gonna make it," she tried to soothe her, as Jean suddenly broke down and began to sob aloud. Feeling with her, the weather goddess pulled her close and tried to soothe her.

"I can't lose him, too," she heard the redhead sobbing over and over again and began to feel worse with every second. She didn't even dare to imagine what could happen if the wounds were too severe…

"Logan's strong…," Ororo tried to soothe her and kept on stroking over her friend's hair. "He's a fighter. You know that he's the biggest pighead of the planet…"

Michael, who'd been playing on the ground in his room with his plush wolf, had come over since he'd heard his mommy crying and stopped right in front of her with big eyes. Sniffing, Jean looked at him with red eyes from crying and noticed that her son was confused. Not knowing what else to do, she pulled him onto her lap to hug him and rocked slowly back and forth.

"Jean, he will be alright…," Ororo said again, since the woman didn't stop crying.

"I just can't lose him now…," the redhead sobbed again and shook her head. "Not after we're finally together." She ran a hand through her face with a sigh. "He even agreed on being Mikey's father…," she added and stroked over her son's hair with despair clearly written in her eyes. The boy still looked at her. He understood that his mother was obviously sad, but couldn't tell why.

"You won't lose him!" Ororo said and shook her head for emphasis. "Do you want to be with Logan?" she asked her after a moment and Jean nodded. "Then go. I stay here with Mikey…"

"Thank you," Jean said barely audible and handed Michael over to her, after a kiss on the cheek, before she left her room and went downstairs to the infirmary.

Reaching it, she went inside, seeing that Hank still took notes and stopped next to the bed. She reached out one hand shakily to stroke over Logan's, again feeling how new tears gathered in her eyes. "How is he?" Jean asked the other man, but hank shook his head.

"Unchanged so far," he replied. "He lost a lot of blood and is still not healing."

"Why?"

Shrugging, Hank put the chart away. "Charles thinks that his healing factor is working on keeping him alive. Therefore, he recovers slowly…," he explained and looked at her again. "Jean, you should better sit down. You're pale as a ghost and I don't want you to collapse next."

Nodding, she pulled a stool closer and sat down on it. Not knowing what to do, the redhead switched her eyes on the man on the bed again and shook her head slowly. She bit her lip and buried her face in her hands once more to cry silently. Seeing it, Hank walked over to lay a hand on her shoulder, but he didn't know what to say. He didn't know Logan's powers. All he knew was that the wounds the X-Man had taken from the attack would have been deadly for anyone else of them. One look down told him that the redhead was still holding Logan's hand in hers. "Please don't leave me…," he heard her whispering after a while. Looking down, Hank began to feel bad all of a sudden…

**Okay, that's the next one. I know it's short, but the next ones will be longer. ; ) Please review!! See ya!**


	15. Chapter 15

**Author's note:** This chapter contains my pre-written chapter 25. Thanks to all reviewers!!

**Don't forget, ya ain't alone, darlin'**

Two weeks had passed by now without any changes. While Jean was constantly switching between taking care of Michael or being with Logan downstairs, Hank had finally forced her to take one day off and sleep properly since she was looking like a ghost. Having done so, even if it was rather reluctantly, she was occupied with preparing Michael for the day as she heard Charles' voice in her head. He wanted all X-Men to come down to his office. Not knowing what else to do, Jean took her son with her and went downstairs where everyone else was already gathered.

"I'm sorry for the early interruption," Charles apologized and smiled at Michael, who was running around the room in the meanwhile, just to be pulled up by Ororo so that he sat still on her lap. "But we need to discuss how to proceed and what to do about Eric."

"How 'bout kickin' his sorry ass?" a gruff voice suddenly said from the door. Jean instantly turned around in a rush and her eyes grew wide. He was really there. Standing in the door and smirking at her. Not wasting another moment, she jumped out of her seat and threw herself at him, sobbing in relief. Smiling at her, Logan pulled her close and buried his face in her hair while he spoke soothing words.

"How are you, Logan?" the Professor asked.

"Fine," he replied and smiled happily when Michael, who struggled to get free of Ororo's grip finally managed so, and came over to him with him tiny arms in the air.

"You scared me," Jean said and let go of him a bit.

"I'm sorry," he replied and wiped away her tears, before he stroke through her face and bent forward for a soft kiss. Hank, who sat on the right on the sofa, watched them attentively. In the meanwhile Jean had kissed Logan back and wrapped her arms around his waist to lean against him. She couldn't express in words how relieved she was that he had finally woken up and was obviously his old self again.

"Don't do this again," she pleaded and he chuckled, before he let go of her for a brief moment since Michael was holding up his arms.

"Hey, munchkin," Logan smiled and pulled him up to place a kiss on his cheek. "Did ya behave or did ya annoy mommy, hm?" Jean gave a short laugh between her sniffs and he pulled her close with his free arm, which made Hank look down.

"Why don't you sit down?" Charles smiled and waited for them to do so. Jean rested her head on Logan's shoulder and held onto his arm, while Michael sat on his lap and played with his shirt. "We were discussing a possible attack," he informed the man and received a nod.

"They defeated us too easily," Ororo said. "We need a very good plan for the next time."

"We just weren't prepared for a fight," Logan said. "What confuses me is that he had obviously known about us bein' there. If we could take him out first, the rest of them will be leaderless and we'd have to be careful only because of Mystique, Pyro and Juggernaut."

"I'm just a bad leader," the woman sighed and shook her head in frustration. "Scott always knew what to do," she added and didn't notice how Jean looked down. "Charles, I thought about it before, but I really think that Logan should be leading us. He has the experience to do so."

Nodding, Charles thought about it for a moment. "What do you think?" he asked Logan but this one shook his head.

"I ain't a leader," he grunted and stroked through Michael's hair when the boy decided to rest against his chest. "I ain't useful if Mag's turns me into his personal pinball."

"But you obviously know how to give orders," Ororo disagreed with him. "I think we have a chance with you as our leader."

"We could try out in the Dangerroom," Jean suddenly suggested and received a cocked eyebrow from Logan.

"Am I asked, too?" he demanded to know.

"No," Rogue replied with a smile and shook her head, ignoring his snort.

"I think it is a good idea, Jean," the Professor nodded. "We could run a scenario against the Brotherhood."

Listening to them, while he kept on switching from one mutant to the next, Logan raised his hand. "Hey, is it just me or did you forget that I'm in this room, too?" he asked, displeased with the fact that decisions that concerned him where made without him.

"You can't talk yourself out of it, Logan," Ororo smiled and the others nod in agreement.

Looking at him from aside, Jean reached out to run a hand through his hair. "But I think we should wait with it for two more days," she suggested and noticed that he was about to tell her that he was fine. Quickly, she shook her head as an answer. "You should take it easy."

Logan smirked and wobbled his head. "If you're my nurse…," he gave back and received a weak smile before she pulled him into a brief kiss.

"Then it is decided," the Professor said. "We will meet in two days again." Looking at each of them when everyone got up he turned back to his papers and heard how the door was closed. On the outside Logan and Jean were talking to Ororo, as Hank tapped onto the man's shoulder. When Logan noticed who it was, he gave him a cold glare.

"I need to talk with you," Hank said and watched how Logan exchanged a brief look with Jean, who nodded and left with her, while he, with the sleeping Michael on his arm, followed the other man to a corner.

"What do ya want?"

"To apologize…"

Logan gave a short, skeptical laugh. "Really?!" he asked ironically. "'n why do I deserve this sudden honor?"

"I judged you wrong," Hank admitted and noticed the still cold glare of his opposite. "I've seen that you really care for Jean and the boy. I'm sorry for the things I said and hope that you can forgive me." Having said it, he held out his right hand.

Logan looked at it and Hank already reckoned with the man turning around, as this one took it.

* * *

In the meanwhile, Ororo and Jean were ascending the stairs and reached the next floor, where they entered Jean's room. The door wasn't fully closed by the weather goddess as the redhead already knelt down to get one of Logan's shirts from the ground. Having seen it, the standing woman suddenly smiled and sat down on the bed. "Now tell me…," she demanded and watched how Jean folded the shirt.

"What?" she mumbled with a brief look at the woman next to her.

"What is he like?" Ororo asked curiously, but received a loud sigh only. "Come on, we've always talked about such things."

"Yes, when we were teens, 'Ro," Jean said and closed the drawer.

"Don't be such a prude and make me guess," her friend warned her playfully. The redhead only shrugged and went on tidying up the room. "Start guessing if it makes you happy…"

Still sitting on the bed, Ororo smiled widely. "Ooookaaaay," she cooed. "I think he's a good lover and probably very experienced." Since Jean didn't reply, she added with an evil smirk: "Or, he's a complete disappointment." For that she received a look. "As I thought," Ororo nodded. "So he's a good lover, hm? Lucky girl!" The redhead didn't know what else to do than rolling her eyes. "Next question!" her friend went on. "Is he like his namesake or gentle?"

"What do you mean with that?" Jean asked with a raised eyebrow and a frown.

"Well, you know…," Ororo shrugged. "Either rough, hot sex or slow, gently lovemaking."

"'Ro," her friend cried. "First, you are so embarrassing and even worse than Jubilee and second, we only slept once together so far!"

"And?" Ororo asked with a wide grin and bit her lip and quickly caught the pillow that was thrown at her.

"I'm satisfied with him in every way possible, is that enough to answer your question?" Jean asked.

"Oho," her friend teased her and wobbled her eyebrows. "That good, huh?"

"At least when he'd tidy up a bit…"

Laughing, Ororo shook her head. "To be honest," she giggled. "I expected your room to look far worse, Jean!"

"You haven't seen his!" Jean gave back with a look that spoke volumes.

Nodding with a smile, the other woman looked down and put the pillow aside. "I'm happy for you. It's good that you feel better…," she said and received a nod. "But is Logan of the fact that being with you means more responsibility tan before?"

Jean put the last shirt into the drawer and turned around. "He said he sees Mikey as his son…"

"Really?!" Ororo asked surprised. "I never thought of him as a person who can even stand children…"

The redhead shook her head. "He actually loves children. He only had to learn how to handle them."

Nodding, Ororo got up. "But aren't you afraid that Michael will be only second to him if you become pregnant?"

Jean looked up with a blush and widened eyes. "We just got together, 'Ro!" she said a bit embarrassed.

"It was just a thought," her friend shrugged amused. "Well, I still have papers to grade." She walked over to the door and closed it behind her, just to let out a shriek, since Logan was directly leaning next to the door. "Jesus, Logan…," she cursed, just to look at him angrily next. "You eavesdropped?!"

"I didn't want to disturb your chick-talk," he shrugged and received a look for it, before the woman left. Smirking, he entered the room and put Michael into his bed before he went over to Jean and pulled her close. He heard her sighing against his chest and could tell that she was relieved to have him back in one piece. While one hand stroked over her back, he bent down to kiss her neck. "So you're satisfied with me in everyway possible, darlin'?" he whispered into her ear with a smirk. This one became even wider when the redhead let go of him and stared at him in shock.

"You heard everything?!" she asked shocked.

"Heightened senses, baby," Logan shrugged as her demeanor suddenly changed.

"Well," Jean purred and wrapped her arms around his neck. "Then you've also heard the part about tidying up, am I right?"

"Actually…no," Logan teased her, just to give her a soft push so that she landed on the bed. Within seconds he was on top of her and kissed her again. "Because you mentioned something else first…" Wobbling his head he waited for her to think about what he meant. When her eyes grew wide he knew he had her. "Exactly that, darlin'," he chuckled and pulled her into another kiss.

**I'm sorry for not updating sooner, but lately I only have time on Wednesdays and the weekend to type. I will put up the next chapter sooner. ; ) Please review!!!**


	16. Chapter 16

**Author's note:** This chapter contains my pre-written chapter 26. Thanks to all reviewers!!

**Oh and this chapter is M-rated!!!**** And also those who are not members can review. Please do that!! ; )**

**Don't forget, ya ain't alone, darlin'**

Close to the screen sat Charles Xavier in his wheelchair for about two hours by now and was watching over his X-Men. Up to now he was more than satisfied with what he saw. Unlike Scott or Ororo, Logan had said before the mission had started what he wanted his team to do, who of them was responsible for with adversary and what he wanted them to do if they got in trouble. The session went well. Better even than he had expected. He watched how Logan demanded of Storm to send her lightning to his right, she did and knocked Mystique out while he took care of Toad. When Magneto approached and made it impossible for Logan to move at all, it was Jean who sent the master of magnetism crashing against a car and Hank knocked him out next. Charles heard how the room downstairs began to vibrate. Juggernaut approached and ran at full speed towards his X-Men, which, after an order of Logan, jumped aside and watched how Colossus took Logan's offered arm to throw him, claws first, at their enemy. Since this wasn't enough, the Professor first began to frown and wondered what Logan was up to. One claw was buried in the giant mutant's back, while he held the other up and called "Storm". The woman reacted and threw her lightning at the adamantium knives, which led the electricity through Logan's skeleton and into the body of Juggernaut. With a loud _thud_ this one collapsed to the ground and the program ended.

"Now, that was fun," Logan smirked and retracted his claws. He shook his head quickly to get rid of the stars n front of his eyes. "Someone hurt?" he asked but his teammates shook their head. "Good. Then go shower and we meet upstairs with Chuck." He waited next to the door for a particular redhead and grabbed her hand. "Shower with me?" he asked with a smirk and she watched how the others entered the showers on the end of the long corridor. Not waiting for her reply he pulled her with him towards the single shower for teachers, where he watched how she began to undress herself slowly. Both of them walked over to the shower afterwards and let the hot water ran over their bodies. Logan took the shower gel and put it onto her back. Jean sighed when he began to knead her sore muscles and closed her eyes, fully enjoying his touch.

"You did a good job," she said and heard him chuckling behind her, as he suddenly kissed her neck and ran his soaped hands over her breasts. Jean held her breath and bit her lip hard unconsciously, when one of them remained there and his other hand traveled lower. But suddenly she let out a loud gasp and turned to stare at him with widened eyes.

"What's wrong?" Logan asked and cocked an eyebrow at her. He couldn't tell why she was so shocked all of a sudden.

"Nothing…," she mumbled and looked away, but he shook his head and touched her chin to made her raise her head again.

"C'mon. Somethin's wrong," he said calmly and stroked over her cheek gently.

"It's just…," Jean stuttered and felt embarrassed like never before. "I…I haven't been touched like this before…"

"What?" he asked shocked, but picked up on how ashamed she was. "Hey, that's okay," he tried to soothe her with a smile. "I won't do it if ya don't want me to."

"But I do want you to touch me like this," she replied and chewed on her lower lip. "I was just too surprised…" Smiling, he pulled her into a soft kiss and continued to stroke over her body. He watched how she closed her eyes and bit her lip hard when he touched her between her legs again and began to kiss his way downwards, but stopped when he was on his knees to look t her. "Ever done this before?" he asked, buts he shook her head with flushed cheeks. Logan cocked an eyebrow at her. "Got a lot to teach ya, darlin'," he mumbled leant it. Being overwhelmed by the sensation, Jean grabbed his hair hard and leant back against the wall with closed eyes. Caressing her, he looked up and began to frown. "What are ya doin'?" he asked her with furrowed brows and Jean opened her eyes in confusion. "I want ya to let it out."

"I never did this before…," she said barely audible and felt how the heat not only began to gather between her legs. She thought her heart would burst through her chest.

"Then ya learn it," was all Logan said and continued his licking. He felt how her muscles tensed briefly due to the contact and saw that she'd her eyes closed again. After a moment he finally heard her letting out a soft moan and smirked, since she covered her mouth with her hand in shock and stared at him. Getting up with a chuckle, he looked into her widened eyes and stroked up her sides. "That's exactly what I wanna hear, darlin'," he said huskily and turned her gently around to press her body against his. Surprised about his sudden intrusion, the redhead threw her head back and moaned again, while he wrapped an arm around her to hold her as close as possible. With his other hand, he bent her slowly down until she supported herself against the wet wall with her hands. Looking at her for a moment, Logan reached out to stroked down her back and thrust his hip forward. "That's exactly what I wanna hear…," he said once more when Jean moaned again…

* * *

Everyone looked up when the door to Charles' office was being opened and watched how Logan entered with Jean on his hand. "Where have you guys been that long?" Ororo asked and watched the couple sitting down on the sofa opposite of her.

"We got lost," Logan shrugged with a smirk and the woman nodded knowingly.

"Yeah, the shower I a whole labyrinth," she remarked with a grin.

"Well, now that we are finally complete," the Professor began and smiled at them. "I have watched the whole session and came to the conclusion that Logan did more than a good job in leading the team. But of course I'd like to hear your opinions, too." He leant back and waited for someone to start. "Or let me ask Logan first how he felt as the leader," he added, but only received a shrug from the mutant. The others gave their opinions afterwards and Charles kept his eyes on Logan the whole time through to see hoe he reacted to it, but the man didn't do him the favor to look up at least once for him to get a better impression. "I must say I thought the same as the others. Is everyone fine with him as the new leader then?" Charles asked and they came to an unanimous agreement in the end. Smiling happily he nodded. "Then it is decided. Congratulation, Logan."  
"Yeah, yeah," this one waved off, obviously not feeling comfortable at being the centre of everyone's attention. His mood of course became better after Jean planted a kiss onto his cheek.

When they laid in bed later at night, Jean sat up a bit to look at him. "Am I really that inexperienced?" she asked and made him cock an eyebrow at her. He had no idea what she was talking about first.

"No," Logan finally said after figuring it out and sat up a bit too. "But there are still things ya could learn," he added and brushed her long hair over her shoulder to plant a kiss onto it.

"The problem is not that I don't know how," she went on and hugged her legs. "I just don't have the experience you have."

"What's that supposed to mean?" he asked and froze in his movements.

"What I mean is that I've been with Scott since we were teens. I know him only and he didn't like some things in bed," she admitted barely audible and refused to look at him. The whole situation, she thought, was already embarrassing enough. "Even if I wanted to try them…," she added.

Nodding, he pulled her down a bit to have her on eye level. "Things like kissin' ya down there?" he asked and hoped he wasn't too blunt. Her nervousness already was overwhelming enough for him. Jean nodded weakly without looking at him. "So, I think you've never did it with him, too…" Finally she looked up and stared at him as if he was about to make her do it. Knowing that this thought was stupid, she shook her head.

"What else can you teach me?" Jean asked him after a moment and began to play with his chest hair.

"I'm only gonna teach ya things, Jeannie, that ya really wanna do," Logan replied and stroked through her hair.

Nodding, she moved over and straddled him. "Well, I first have to try them out before I can say I don't like it, right?" she asked in a more confident voice and ran her hands down his chest to his six-pack. Biting her lip with a smile, she shifted her position and sat down between his legs to caress his inner thighs and stroke up to his belly again. "And if it's really so much you can teach me…," she purred and he cocked a suspicious eyebrow at her. "Then you better get started…" Smirking at her, Logan grabbed her to roll both of them over…

**I know this chapter is very short, but you guys will be in for a surprise in the next one. ; ) Promised. Please let me know what you think and thanks to those who have reviewed the previous chapters!! See ya!**


	17. Chapter 17

**Author's note:** This chapter contains my pre-written chapter 27. Thanks to all reviewers!!

**Also ****those who are not members can review. Please do that!! ; )**

**Don't forget, ya ain't alone, darlin'**

It's November, a bit more than a year later when Jean woke up one morning. Michael was about to turn four in a couple of months and was still sleeping in his room, when the redhead rubbed her eyes just to frown. In front of her on the bed sat Logan, fully dressed and with his leather jacket on and gave her the weirdest look she'd ever seen on his face. Something was wrong and she felt how her stomach made a big turn, as her mind told her that he'd leave her. "Is something wrong?" she managed to ask him and ran a hand through her face to get the sleep out of her eyes. Her heart had begun to pound widely in her chest. If he really was about to leave her, it would shatter to pieces. She'd never be able after her whole time with him together to see him going out of the door and out of her life forever.

"No," Logan replied and looked at her when she sat up with a worried look on her face.

"Then why are you looking so weird?" she asked and was breathing hard. "And sitting dressed on the bed?"

"I leave…," he began but she cut him off with a _No…_ and grabbed his knee hard. "I'll be gone until 10 p.m.," Logan rephrased what he was about to say and saw that she began to furrow her brows.

"Why?" Jean asked since nothing he was saying or doing made any sense to her.

"I'm goin' to drive around a bit," he replied and noticed that she got more and more confused with every minute.

"Logan… I want to know what's wrong! Something must be wrong, you're completely not yourself," Jean said worriedly and gave him a pleading look. "Please tell me what's wrong… Why are you leaving?"

"I ain't leavin', Jean," he assured her. "I'll be back at 10 as I said."

"But I still don't understand why…or why you behave so strangely," she gave back and ran a hand through her long hair.

He swallowed and looked down onto the ground for a minute. "I want to ask ya somethin'," Logan finally said. "I want ya to think about it carefully and that's why I give ya time until tonight. I want ya to give me an answer when I come back…"

Jean closed her eyes briefly and shook her head still confused. What could be so terrible that he left for so many hours to give her time? Did he sleep with someone else and was asking her now to forgive him, did he intend to leave the mansion and go back to Canada and wanted to know if she and Mikey came with him…? "What do you want ask me?" she whispered and thought she would die of a heart attack in tension. When he took her head without looking at her, she got even more scared. "Logan, please… What's wrong? You're scaring me…"

He raised his head to look into her eyes for a moment and heaved a deep breath. "I want ya to marry me…," he finally said and felt how his heart even gained speed after he'd sat next to her bed for hours, trying to find a way to ask her without giving her the shock of her life. But the way she stared at him now told him that he had exactly managed to do that… So he just handed her the black velvet box and got up. "I give ya time to think until I come back at 10," Logan reminded her and walked slowly to the door. Her eyes were fixed on the box, her mouth stood open in shock and he jut hoped he hadn't done the biggest mistake in his life… "See ya later then," he said and left to lean against the door for a moment, before he headed for the garage.

In the room, Jean swallowed hard and still stared at the box. She didn't know what to think. Or better, she couldn't think at all right now. Suddenly, she threw the sheet aside and ran over to the bathroom where she threw up. While she cooled her face, she heard how a door was opened. "Mommy?" Michael called and she dried her face before she stepped out of the bathroom; one hand was pressed against her still protesting belly.

"Morning, sweety," she smiled weakly and tried to keep the rest in. "Had a good sleep?"

"Yeah," the boy nodded and clutched onto his wolf.

"Can you go down for breakfast alone, honey?" Jean asked since she only wanted to lie back down. "Tell Aunt 'Roro that mommy is not feeling well, okay? Can you do that?" Nodding the boy walked over to the door and reached up to open it. With a smirk that he'd gotten from his "daddy" he closed it and ran down the corridor to the staircase. With a heavy sigh Jean leant briefly against the bathroom door and went over to the bed again to let herself fall into it. She pulled her legs close and wished someone would just knock her out so that she could get rid off this sick feeling in her stomach. If she'd caught the flu or a virus, she'd have to ask Ororo if Michael could stay with her for some days. If he got sick, too, than she'd be in for another lucky _pushing around the virus_ game like last year when he'd caught the flu, she next, then her son again and in the end both had been sick and Logan had to nurse them. Thinking about him and the proposal made her feel even sicker due to the nervousness… Jumping up, she quickly ran to the toilet once more and threw up.

While she had decided to remain in front of the toilet for a while, Jean heard how the door was opened. "Jean?" Ororo called and entered with a try in her hands. "Are you in here?"

"Coming," the redhead replied and got slowly up.

"Jeez, which truck hit you?" her best friend asked and watched how the woman went back under the sheets. "You look terrible… Is everything alright?" she asked and put the tray onto the bedside table.

"No…," Jean mumbled into her pillow and turned her head.

"Where's Logan?" Ororo asked and touched her friend's cheeks. "At least no fever…"

"He's gone until 10 tonight…"

"Why?" she asked in confusion, but Jean shook her head to evade the topic. "You look really sick. I brought you some tea and something to eat."

"Please," the redhead groaned and pulled a face. "Not the word with 'e'….."

"Do you think you're sick?" Ororo asked since in the end she wasn't the doc here.

"Yeah, I think so," Jean nodded and dared to roll onto her side. "I already threw up several times…"

Ororo watched how she sipped on the tea a bit. "Does your belly hurt?" she asked but Jean shrugged.

"It's rather…bloating," she replied.

"And you feel fatigue, am I right?"

"As if I haven't slept in days, Jean sighed and pulled her pillow close, when her friend nodded.

"You sure you're not only pregnant?" Ororo asked and received a look. "Why not?" she shrugged and the redhead bit her lip while staring at the bedside table. Having watched her for a while, the weather goddess reached out to touch her shoulder. "What else is bothering you, hm?" she asked and pulled some strands from her friend's face. "Did you have a fight with Logan or why is he gone until tonight?"

"He asked me to marry him…," Jean replied barely audible after a while and startled when Ororo cheered aloud after she was over the first shock.

"The two of you are going to marry?" she asked excitedly but the redhead shook her head. "No?! Why not? Did you say no to him?" she demanded to know since it didn't make any sense. The two of them had been the happiest couple of the planet in the past months and were hardly seen without the other at all.

"Logan wants me to think about it. That's why he's left until 10," Jean explained and Ororo nodded.

"Probably because of Scott…," she mumbled. "What are you going to say?"

"I don't know," her friend sighed tiredly. "He surprised me too much with it…"

"Come on," Ororo said and gave her a soft nudge. "Every girl in this mansion would say yes to him in an instant."

"Yeah, because they want him for their beds," Jean gave back and rolled her eyes. It was still something that annoyed her a lot. All those giggles, smiles and stared Logan got from every girl in this house. She hated it…

"I would say yes to him immediately," Ororo shrugged and received a glare. "Just a thought…" Sighing, the redhead too the box into her hand and looked at it. "What kind of rings has he gotten?"

"I don't know," Jean said. "He's shocked me so much that I had a meeting with the toilet…"

Not able to stop her giggle, Ororo nodded at the box. "Come on, open it! Either he'd gotten beautiful rings or some out of a gumball machine…" And she really hoped it wasn't the latter or she would strike him with lightning… She watched how Jean opened the box slowly and smiled. Good boy, she thought. "Simple and beautiful, typical for Logan," she commented the two silver rings and waited for Jean's reaction. "Don't you like them?" she asked her since she would have loved if someone gave her such a ring.

"Yeah…"

"But?" Ororo asked and shook her head. "Come on, try it on." After hesitating first, the redhead did so and looked at the ring from all sides. "See? He even got the right size…"

"No…," Jean suddenly gasped and pulled on it.

"No?" Ororo asked confused and watched her. "What are you doing?"

"It's stuck," the redhead cried. "I can't get it off anymore…" Trying it again, she shook her head and looked at her best friend for help, but this one raised both hands and got up.

"It's an omen," was all Ororo said with a wide smile. "Try to sleep a bit. I take care of Mikey."

"Where's he anyway?" Jean asked and looked at the other woman at the door.

"Using grandpa as his personal car again," the weather goddess smiled. "See you later!" While she went back down, the redhead stared at the ring on her left hand and sighed heavily. With her hand on her belly, she snuggled up to his pillow and closed her eyes. She needed to get some rest and clear her head first before she could make any decisions that would probably change everything…

* * *

As promised Logan reached the mansion at 10 p.m. and parked the bike into the garage. It had been horrible, long 12 hours for him that he had spent with driving, drinking, starting a fight with a guy at a gas station and then driving again. The whole time through he'd been nervous and scared, something he wasn't used to and would have rather run or turned back the time than coming back to the mansion. What if she refused? She would refuse what else?! Who would want to marry someone as fucked up as he was? Or what if she said yes? What if he screwed up? 

Suddenly, he realized that he was standing at his room door. Confused he looked down the corridor and asked himself how he'd gotten there. The last thing he could remember was him parking the bike in the garage… Swallowing hard and with his heart in his mouth, he carefully opened the door. She sat on the bed, cross legged and looked at him. Yeah, he had screwed up big time. She'd been crying… "Hey," Logan greeted her and closed the door behind him. He noticed that she was kneading her hands nervously when he sat down next to her and looked into her face. Even if she tried to hide it, he knew that she must have been crying before.

Heaving a deep breath, Jean held up her hand to give him a good look on the ring. "It's stuck. I can't get it off again…"

"So ya want it off again…?" Logan asked, clearly hurt and disappointed. He'd known it before. He wasn't someone a woman wanted to marry…

Sighing, she kneaded her hands again. "I need to tell you something first…," she began and he shrugged.

"Shoot…"

Biting her lower lip hard, she took a look around the room. "We need a bigger room…"

Staring at her blankly, Logan shook his head. "Why?" he asked confused. "It's fine. Mikey has his own room, we have ours… So where's the problem?"

"It's too small…"

Now he really was confused. "It's fine…," he said again and furrowed his brows as she was close to start crying again.

"It won't be fine anymore in a couple of months…," she replied and heaved a deep breath to keep her tears from falling.

"Jeannie what's wrong?" Logan asked concerned and reached out to touch her but she evaded it. "Baby, what is it?" he asked and felt his heart skipping a bit as she began to cry heartrendingly. Not knowing why she had start crying after he'd barely said the first word, he began to feel really scared. Cupping her face, he made her look at him. "Is something wrong with ya?" he asked frightened and she nodded, just to sob again. "Then what is it? Are ya seriously sick or somethin'?"

"I'm…," she sobbed and shook her head. "I'm pregnant…"

Staring at her speechlessly, Logan had to let the news sink in first. Did she just say what he thought she said? Looking at her for minutes without moving at all, he blinked. "But…," he began and furrowed his brows. "…why are ya cryin'?"

"Because I'm pregnant," Jean snapped and buried her face in her hands.

"Yeah, but where's the problem?" he asked. "Don't ya wanna have the kid?"

"I don't know…," she cried and heaved a deep breath. "But I want to marry you…"

Letting this news sink in, he gave her a look. "Ya want to marry me because of the baby?" Logan asked and she heaved a deep breath before she ran a hand through her face. "Why then?" he asked since she was shaking her head as a reply.

"Because I love you…," Jean said and looked down on her hand. "And because the ring's stuck…"

He couldn't help but chuckle and looked down. "Is this really what ya want?" he asked her to make sure that she wasn't about to make a mistake, but the redhead nodded with the attempt of a smile. "Then why are ya not lookin' happy?"

"I don't know if I can handle another child…," Jean admitted and looked at the blanket which whom her hands were playing.

"Hey…," Logan made and touched her chin to meet her eyes. "What do you mean with _if I_? What about me?"

"You didn't say so far what you think," she cried. "It's okay if you don't want it… It was me who was so stupid and forgot to take the pill…"

"Who said I don't want it?" he asked shocked. "I'm just too shocked to say anythin' right now…" Seeing the look on her face, he pulled her close and stroked over her back. "What's so wrong about havin' a baby together?" he wanted to know and heard her sighing into his neck. "Mikey is nearly four, so why not?"

"So you want to have it?" Jean asked sniffing into his neck.

"Hell ya," Logan replied and cupped her face. "And now stop cryin'. Ya nearly gave me a heart attack…" After wiping her tears away he gave her a gentle kiss on the lips and began to smile goofily. "Hey, we gonna have a baby," he grinned and she couldn't help but smile, too. "And we're gonna get married."

"Not really…," Jean said and sat down on his lap with a smile, while he gave her his perfect _Huh?_ face. "Something still needs to be done…," she added and took the velvet box into her hand. He watched her with furrowed brows and cocked one when she took his left hand. "Are you sure about marrying me?"

"Are ya kiddin'?!" Logan asked as if she was out of her mind. Smiling, she pulled the ring onto his finger and suddenly began to giggle. "What?!" he said. "What's so funny?"

"Ororo was right," Jean smirked. "It really was an omen that the ring on my finger was stuck…"

"Why?" he asked and gave it a look when she pulled on his.

"Because yours is, too."

**Okay that's it for today. Hope you guys enjoyed reading it. I wrote an additional chapter which takes place after this one here. I hurry up with typing. See ya!! And please review! ; )**


	18. Chapter 18

**Author's note:** This chapter contains my pre-written chapter 28. Thanks to all reviewers!! This is the additional chapter I wrote. Actually I made a jump in time and the wedding was supposed to take place in this chapter.

**Also those who are not members can review. Please do that!! ; )**

**Don't forget, ya ain't alone, darlin' **

When Jean woke up on the next morning she couldn't stop herself from starting to giggle. Being confused about it, Logan stopped stroking her still flat belly and quirked an eyebrow. "What?" he asked rather gruffly but she shook her head and waved off.

"Nothing," she smiled but he furrowed his brows. "Well, I think I'll have to get used to you waking me up like this, don't I?" Taking his hand she placed it back onto her belly. "Go on…" Instead of doing it Logan smirked and shook his head. Now it was the redhead who raised an eyebrow. "What's wrong now?" she asked and saw how he ran a hand through his messy hair, just to let himself fall onto his back right next to her. She could tell that something wasn't quiet right. Something about him was weird… "Logan?"

"I think I'll freak out…," he finally replied and gave her a look.

"Why?" Jean asked and rolled onto her side to have a better look at him while she bit her lower lip.

"Because I'm gonna be a dad for real this time?!" he asked ironically.

Looking at him, she swallowed while an odd feeling began to spread within her stomach. "You've already seen what a pregnancy is like…"

"Yeah, but it's different this time," Logan replied with a heavy sigh. "I mean….it's really my kid now. A part of me and this just…freaks me out."

Hearing him saying it, she looked down and her heart instantly kicked into high gear. She hoped that the situation she fear the most and which had also been the reason for her crying her eyes out on the evening before, wouldn't become bitter reality now. "You're not thinking about Michael different now, do you?" she asked and he heard her scared undertone. When Jean dared to look up, ready to face whatever he was about to say, she noticed the look he gave her. It practically asked her if she had lost her mind.

"'f course not," he grunted with hurt in his eyes. "I see him as my kid and that will never change… The pregnancy now is just…different. It really scared the shit outta me."

Jean felt relieved but amused at the same time and shook her head with a smile. "As long as you don't get the baby blues…" She saw that he cocked an eyebrow at her. "It's not a joke, Logan! Such things happen and if you get them…. I swear I'll rather jump out of the next window before you drive me crazy with it."

Rolling his eyes, Logan gave her one last look before he rested his head onto her belly again. "How can we make the situation clear to Mikey?" he mumbled and stroked gently over her waist.

"We find a way," she said a bit tiredly and closed her eyes again to enjoy his caressing. Her hand reached out to stroke through his hair. "Do you want to tell the others the news now or sometime later?"

"That's up to ya," Logan replied as her powers suddenly knocked him off her. With a loud _Ouch! _He hit his head on the bedside table and landed on the floor. "What was that for?!" he growled pissed and looked up with glaring eyes, as he noticed that she had stormed to the bathroom. Getting quickly up, even if his head still throbbed painfully, he knelt down next to her to hold her hair back and rub over her back, while she threw up. When she was done, he took a wet cloth to cool her flushed face and looked at her full of concern. "How long will that last?" he asked her and was afraid of her answer.

"Probably about three months," Jean replied and ran a hand through her sweaty face. "But if I am lucky it can also happen throughout the pregnancy…"

"Every morning?!" Logan asked shocked and stared at her with widened eyes.

"Some women even throughout the whole day, Logan. You can never say. It depends on the woman," she said and thought he was about to drop dead to the ground. "See? You have your fun for a few minutes and that's the consequences we have to deal with," she scolded him playfully and he only nodded slowly while helping her up. "And now be so nice and give me a bath," Jean added and hid her grin. He just now looked as if he really felt bad about her, so why not getting everything out of the situation possible. She watched how he wordlessly went over to the bathtub and soon the water ran. A bit later she managed to relax a bit and forgot about the odd feeling in her belly, while he sat next to her and ran a sponge over her skin. She opened her eyes a bit just to see him still giving her this odd look. "What's wrong, Logan?" Jean sighed and sat up a bit.

"Really everyday?" was all he asked and she groaned.

"You can't tell. Just try and relax, okay?" she replied and pulled her legs close while he let out a short, desperate laugh. "And besides, a lot can happen…" Having said it she wished he hadn't, because suddenly he stared at her in complete shock and she would have bet that he just became paler. "Just forget about what I just said, okay? I never said it!" she said quickly.

"What do ya mean a lot can happen?!" Logan asked. "What can happen?!"

Feeling how her head began to ache the redhead rubbed hr temples. "I said just forget about what I just said…"

"Screw it! I wanna know what can happen!" he grunted and she heaved a heavy sigh.

Turning to him, she covered his hand with her and told him with her look to just shut up now before she would strangle him. "Logan… I've been five months pregnant with Mikey when you began to take care of me. So you know how a pregnancy works…"

"Yeah, but now it's not 5 months pregnant and I still wanna know what can happen," he gave back and made her roll her eyes.

"Okay…," Jean gave in with a sigh. "We go to Hank later, tell him to do a scan and then you can ask him whatever you want, okay? But please… No more questions now, okay?" she begged and waited for him to nod before she got up to grab a towel. "And would you be so nice and cook those chocolate pancakes of yours?"

"I'd rather have blackberry ones…," he mumbled and she froze first, before her chin dropped next.

"What did you just say?!" Jean asked and fear echoed in her voice.

"I said I'd rather have blackberry ones, but yeah, I make them for ya," he replied and handed her the body lotion. But she didn't take it instantly. Instead she pulled a face and sat down on the top of the toilet. "What's wrong?" he asked worriedly and saw how she made a whimpering sound, just to look at him with a tortured face and shake her head.

"Please don't do this to me…," she begged and he cocked an eyebrow.

"Do what?!" he asked.

"Logan…," the redhead sighed and took his hand. "You hate blackberry! You hate all kinds of berries except strawberries…"

"So?" he shrugged.

"You just said you feel like blackberry pancakes, Logan!" Jean said a bit louder. "You never eat blackberry pancakes because you hate them!" He still gave her a puzzled look.

"But I feel like them…," he replied and thought she looked like a drowned, tortured dog as she looked at him with this odd look of hers again. "What?!" he asked.

"You know for a few hours now that I'm pregnant and already have cravings…," she cried. "Don't do this to me!"

"I don't have cravings," Logan growled and narrowed his eyes a bit, but wasn't so sure why he suddenly felt like eating something he hated.

"You have!" she said and got up to lean against his chest. "Please don't do this to me… I don't want to have a fiancé who has the baby blues and drives me crazy. And you will if you already start that early…" She rested her chin on his chest and looked up with pleading eyes. "Please don't okay? I will neither see that you eat thing you don't like, that you gain weight or have mood swings…" She briefly stopped. "Okay, usually you have them anyway, but I don't want to see them getting worse and I also don't want to see you running to the next toilet, complaining about back pain or head aches or that you have trouble sleeping. Just be your old self," Jean begged. "Promise?"

Logan just cocked an eyebrow at her and asked himself if being pregnant came close to being crazy. "Yeah…promised," he only said and shook his head on the way out. "I go and make those pancakes for ya." On the outside he stopped and turned to stare at their room door again. "Preggers..." He shook his head and wanted to bury his hands in his pockets just to realize he was wearing his boxers only. The door behind him suddenly opened and Jean threw his shirt and jeans towards him with a look that said _"Told you so"_ and closed the door again. While he got dressed on the corridor, not caring if someone might see him, he began to wonder about it. He'd never left his room without at least his jeans on, even if he didn't care about being naked around others. But why had he forgotten about it just now?! It was her fault, definitely, he thought and while he pulled his shirt over his head, he went down to the kitchen…

X

A bit later they sat together at the table in the kitchen with all others and Mikey, who had already eaten had run off to look for his personal chauffeur, known to the others as Professor Charles Xavier. While Logan was rolling the remains of his pancake from one side of the plate to the other, Jean gave him a gentle nudge and he looked up. Looking into her eyes and seeing her nervousness, he understood what she wanted and asked himself _Why me?!_. Nevertheless, he nodded and dropped the fork that landed soundly on the plate. He hated to announce something or hold speeches, especially if it meant to be bombarded with dozen questions afterwards. And how could he possibly start anyway?! "Ehm…," he made and realized that this wasn't enough. "Guys, stop that babbling and listen, okay?" Staring at him, Jean rolled her eyes and shook her head, since he just sound as if he wanted to tell everyone how much he hated them. But Logan had reached his aim and had the full attention of all X-Men. Great, Logan, and what now? his inner voice asked him and he had no idea. "We…," he began and looked at the redhead next to him for help. "We need to tell ya somethin'," he finally managed to say and one look told him that he had chosen the wrong way to announce it. Everyone looked at him scared and worried. All of them had frozen in their movement, some even looked like statures and held their spoons with cereals and mild on it close to their mouths but didn't go further. Instead they looked to and fro between the couple and waited. And now it was up to him to heave a very deep breath and trying to suppress the strong urge to laugh his head off. It was so ridiculous that he was good in killing, but sucked in announcing that he would be a husband and father soon… How weird was that? _Not so weird if you thought about the fact that both processes involve YOU…_ his inner voice reminded him and he swallowed again. Waiting for him to go on, Jean nudged him once more. "Ehm…," Logan said and scratched the back of his head. Since when felt he nervous and scared? He asked himself and looked into the round again. "Well…"

"Did something happen?" Ororo asked in full concern now.

Looking at Logan first, Jean looked back at her friend and nodded. "Yes…actually yes," she said and the weather goddess heart skipped a bit. Again there was silence until she nudged him once more.

"We're getting' married," Logan finally blurted out after heaving another deep breath and first thought that no one had understood him because he had said it so fast. First no one said anything at all. They started at him in shock, kept on looking to and fro between the couple and the news that he, the big bad Wolverine who liked to be alone, glared, grunted and growled at anyone that came across his way, had just told them that he would marry the woman that was his complete opposite, had to reach their brains first. Suddenly, the girls, who saw themselves as the chairwomen of the Wolverine Fanclub, let out a shocked shriek and covered their mouths while their eyes widened.

Ororo, after getting over the first shock, got up with a smile and walked over to hug both of her friends happily. "So you said yes in the end," she said towards Jean, which earned the redhead a cocked eyebrow from her new fiancé.

"Of course she did," he growled and took Jean's hand possessively, before feeling the urge to pull the woman close next. The Wolverine within him told him that if the best friend of his mate had doubts before, he had to make sure that no one could steal his mate away from him. And the best way to do that was to wrap both arms around this one's chest.

"Otherwise I'd gladly kicked your butt girl!" the woman added with a look at her best friend and ignored the look Logan gave her that told her clearly _Shoo!_

Jean smiled at her and raised a hand when she noticed that the others were about to congratulate them. "There is something else…," she added and bit her lip nervously. Pulling onto Logan's firm grip, she finally managed to lose it and wrapped his arms around her belly. Covering his hands with hers, she gave their friends a nervous smile. "We're going to be parents, too," she said quickly and earned once more shocked stares, shrieks from her fiancé's fan club and had to swallow her laugh, since Jubilee had nearly fallen off her stool.

"This is so great!" Ororo cheered happily and hugged them again, to Wolverine's dismay and he told Logan it would be better to pull his mate closer again. "And again… I told you so!" she added with a wink. "There was no way you could have caught a virus, girl! I was right!" And again Wolverine growled deep within Logan as his possessiveness came to the surface once more, because the best friend of his mate dared to hug them again. "God, I am so happy for you…," the woman said and couldn't stop tears from gathering in her eyes. "Does Mikey already now?"

"No, we don't want to tell him before I'm past the critical first three months," Jean replied as Jubilee suddenly jumped off her stool and pointed at Logan while she shook her head.

"He can't do this," was all she said and made him cock an eyebrow.

"Do what?!" he grunted.

"The whole marrying thing," she cried. "You can't do this!"

"Why not?" Logan growled and also Jean gave the girl a questioning look.

"Well because…because you're Wolvie…," Jubilee shrugged and he rolled his eyes. "I mean you will shatter dozen hearts to pieces and…and…. You just can't do this!" Disappointed she sat back down and glared at Jean. "The hottest guy walking in this funny farm here and she steals him away from us. This ain't fair…" Pouting she crossed her arms and glared at her plate while Kitty patted her back.

"Oh my God!" Ororo suddenly cried and made the redhead startle, again to the Wolverine's dismay. "We have so much to plan!"

"Why?" he grunted and cocked an eyebrow.

"Men!" Ororo groaned and shook her head. "We need at least three parties…"

"What?!" he asked in a high pitched voice. "What for?!"

"Well, a baby shower, a bachelor party for you, one for her," she listed and his eyes became wider with every second. "…then the wedding needs to be planed, then the wedding needs a party, too… Baby shopping of course…oh and we must celebrate your engagement, too, of course!" While he became pale, she tried to find out ifs he had forgotten about something. "Then the wedding dress, we need to buy a wedding dress, you need to buy a tux, then you have to decide who your best men and bride maiden are and they need clothing, too. Then you have to decide when you want to marry, where you want to do it, what kind of cake you want to have, the decoration for the garden… I mean you want to marry in the garden, right?" she asked and looked at her two friends. "Or a church? No, Logan wouldn't want a church…," Ororo mumbled, when Logan suddenly let go of Jean and stepped back; still looking pale, shocked and fighting a strong urge to run.

"Are ya outta your mind or something'?!" he asked but she shook her head.

"No…," Ororo replied. "Those are things that need to be done…"

"Sorry, darlin'," Logan said with a look at the confused redhead and raised both hands while he made another step back. "I'm outta here!"

Seeing that he really wanted to run, Jean quickly grabbed his hand. "No, you're not!" she said and turned back to Ororo. "Actually… We both don't want something big, you know, 'Ro?"

"What?!" this one asked in disbelief. "You can't do this! I mean, come on, you're doing this dance for years now, are finally together and expecting a baby… You just have to agree on at least one big party! You're the first couple that get married here and have the second X-baby… Not to have something big is just a no go!"

"She is right," the Professor suddenly said and wheeled into the room with Michael on his lap. "You don't have to worry about the money, Jean."

"Actually…," Logan intervened. "…I wanted to pay for the wedding…"

"_You_ have money?" Jubilee asked him in disbelief and earned a look and growl from him.

"I understand this, Logan, but see it as my wedding gift to you," Charles replied with a kind and happy smile on his lips.

"Thank you," Jean smiled and leant back against Logan just to cover his hands with hers again.

"And as far as I can tell, at least from the happiness I picked up on earlier," the Professor went on with a knowing smile. "I think that the two of you need a bigger room, too. Correct me if I am mistaken…" Seeing that Logan scratched the back of his head and that Jean blushed, he nodded. "As I thought." He watched how Michael hopped off his lap and walked over to hug one of Logan's legs. "Then I go and look which room will suit you best," he smiled and turned around. "My congrats to the two of you."

Turning around with one happy smile on her lips, Jean wrapped her arms around Logan's waist and leant into him, whereas he pressed a kiss onto her forehead and pulled her close with the same happy smile on his lips…

**Well, that was my additionally pre-written chapter. I added some things while typing. Hope you enjoyed reading and that you guys still like the story. Please review!!!**


	19. Chapter 19

**Author's note:** This chapter contains my pre-written chapter 29. Thanks to all reviewers!!

**Also those who are not members can review. Please do that!! ; )**

**Don't forget, ya ain't alone, darlin' **

"You may now kiss the bride," the elderly priest announced and watched how the groom smiled at his now officially wife before he pulled her into a kiss. Most women who sat on the white stools in the garden dried their eyes again, when the couple deepened the kiss and let go of each other with a happy smile. The day in May was surprisingly warm and sunny, he thought and smiled when he recalled that it was no wonder in a mutant school. He knew Charles Xavier long enough to know that probably one of his teachers or students was responsible for it.

Ororo sniffed again and exchanged a look with Rogue next to her. Despite her tears she managed to smile and pressed a kiss on Michael's head, who sat on her lap again after bringing his parents the two rings. She looked at her best friend's beautiful white, long and tight fitting wedding dress and giggled when she remembered how Jean had begun to complain about her bulge already showing and how unhappy she'd been with it until Logan – who hadn't seen the dress until today – had told her that she looked breathtaking in it. Ororo had to admit that he didn't look half that bad in his black tux and white shirt either. The girls had already made a bet on him and thought that he would probably appear in his jeans and leather jacket. As Jean, also he had kept it a secret what he would wear on this special day. She watched how they linked arms and walked down the red carper, smiling happily and the others, Logan's best man Hank, Peter and Bobby – all dressed in black tuxes – and Jean's bride maids, Ororo, Kitty and Rogue – dressed in dark blue robes – followed them slowly. Michael quickly let go of his godmother's hand and ran towards his daddy, who pulled him up with his free hand.

Together they walked over to the decorated tables and stools where they planned to celebrate the wedding and took their seats after the newly weds had sat down at the long table in front of them together with their best men and brides maids. Just as Logan looked up, Charles was giving him a sign to come over to him. "Excuse me," he said to Jean and gave her a brief kiss before he got up and walked over to the man.

"What's wrong?" Ororo asked the redhead, who had one hand on her belly and stroked with her free through Michael's hair. "Who is that guy?"

"Oh…," Jean suddenly said and her eyes grew wide.

"Do you know what's wrong?" Hank asked concerned. "This man looks like a government guy… I thought Logan had a US passport. And being your husband now, he is a legal citizen anyway…"

"It's not about that," Jean mumbled and watched how Logan came over to her with a paper in his hand.

"It needs your sig, too," he said and handed it to her with a pen.

Ororo bent a bit over her best friend's shoulder to read the papers headline and her eyes grew wide. "You're…," she stuttered and stared at Logan, who put his signature underneath the paper now, too, before he went back to Charles and the man. "He…he adopts him?"

"Yes," the redhead nodded. "Logan wanted to do it in case something happens and that he has a right to take care of Michael."

"One question Jean," Bobby said and gave her a look. "What did you do with Logan and where did you hide him?!"

Only smiling, the woman shook her head and smiled at her husband when he sat down next to her again. "Everything alright now?"

"Yep," he nodded. "My wife, my son…everything as it should be." He smirked and pulled her into another kiss. "And how are the two trouble makers? I first thought you'd faint because ya looked so pale all of a sudden." He stroked worriedly over her cheek. "Somethin' wrong?"

"No," she shook her head and looked down on his hand that stroked over her belly. "One of them had just fun to give me a good kick into my stomach."

"Bad, bad cubs, eh?" he smirked and received a look from her. "Hey, guess what!" he suddenly said and gave her a wolfish grin.

"What?" Jean asked and raised one eyebrow since he seemed to be so happy all of a sudden.

"I finally have a last name, ain't that great?" he joked and she couldn't help but laugh.

"Logan, you probably have one and just can't remember it," Jean replied and shook her head amused.

"Screw it," he gave back and looked up when Ororo asked for attention.

"Did you plan a honeymoon by now?"

"Yes, we did," the redhead nodded. "I wanted Logan to show me Canada but we will wait until the children are born."

"Well, you have enough baby sitters here," her best friend winked and received a thankful smile from her. "Just ask."

They looked up when the Professor cleared his throat first and held a speech next; telling them how he happy he was to see all of them together and how happy every one was. They soon went on to eating from the cake and dancing, before, as Logan thought, some genius abducted his wife and it was up to him to find her. After he'd taken a tour throughout the whole mansion, even went as far as the roof and as low as the basement, he returned to the garden, just to find her sitting on her casual seat. He swore to himself that as soon as he found out who was responsible for it, this one would have a nice meeting with the pool. After one last dance, they watched how the younger mutants put up fireworks and Logan wrapped his arms around his wife while the two of them looked at the sky and the several colors when the fireworks exploded. Afterwards everyone parted and they went upstairs where Michael was already fast asleep. Logan helped Jean put of the dress and chuckled when she sat down with a loud groan. "Remind me to not wear those shoes again," she sighed and rubbed her aching feet. "That was torture…"

"But good lookin' torture," he smirked and got rid off his clothing, too. He watched how she pulled down the dress completely and cocked an eyebrow when he noticed her underwear.

"What?" she asked in confusion and looked at him.

"Ehm…," he made and scratched the back of his head before he walked slowly over. "Shouldn't we postpone our weddin' night, too?"

Staring at him as if he wasn't from this planet the redhead began to raise an eyebrow. "Why?"

"Well, because you're pregnant?" he shrugged and she let out a groan just to push him onto the bed with her powers and straddle him afterwards.

"Yes, pregnant, Logan. Not dying or sick or incapable of doing it," she replied with a look.

"Just a thought," he shrugged but still didn't look quiet comfortable with it. Only rolling her eyes, Jean began to pull his boxers down.

* * *

A few days later, while Logan had to go with Ororo and some students to a museum (a lot to his displeasure), Jean laid on a bed in the infirmary and looked at Hank, who ran a ultrasound scan on her. While she waited for him to say something she kept her eyes fixated on the blue man and tried to read something in his tensed face. He was concentrating as she could tell, but usually he talked with her. "I hope we get a new one soon," he mumbled and made her frown.

"New what?" she asked and he gave her a brief look.

"Scanner," Hank said. "I either get a picture or a sound but never both together. Charles ordered a new one weeks ago, but from Germany. Don't ask me why…"

"He probably knows why…," Jean said and crossed her arms behind her head while she waited.

"When will Logan be back?" he suddenly asked and confused her again.

"Around 5, I think. Why?"

"Hm…," Hank made and gave her a look. "I'd like him to be here, too, before I tell you the results."

Feeling how her heart began to beat triple rhythms, she stared at him for a while. "Why?" Jean asked with a shaky voice. "Hank, what's wrong? Is something not alright with one of the babies?" She felt fear rising deep within her and had the strong urge to puke. She didn't like his look, not at all. "Hank, I want to know it now!" she said more demanding. "What's wrong?!"

He looked at her, clearly not feeling comfortable and heaved a deep sigh. "One baby hasn't developed further, Jean," he told her and waited for reaction, but saw that there was none.

"But…," Jean began and shook her head, unable to think straight. "You…you said everything was alright last time…"

"Yes, and it was…," Hank assured her and watched how she covered her face with both hands. Not knowing what to do, he patted her knee.

"What about the other baby?" Jean asked with tears in her eyes and tried to hold them back. Hearing how he heaved another deep sigh, she bit her lip and knew it wasn't a good sign. "What's wrong with it…?" she asked frightened and with a tear stained voice.

"From what I can tell…," he said and looked at the screen. "…the heartbeat of the second embryo is very irregular. I don't know why this happens all of a sudden, but from what I can see on the screen it looks like a heavy cardiac defect but I can't see the origin of it." With sympathy in his eyes, Hank looked at the devastated redhead that had begun to cry silently.

"What are its chances?" she asked him barely audible and he shook his head.

"I can't tell, Jean," he replied.

"But maybe…maybe the second embryo hasn't developed further because it's the weaker of both twins," she said in despair and again he shook his head.

"I can't pick up on its heartbeat, Jean. I'm sorry," he apologized. "It's not that unusual. A lot of woman actually carry twins and don't even notice it, because only one develops. You wouldn't have noticed either if we hadn't found out before." He watched how she wiped off the gel from her belly. "You shouldn't get up," Hank said worriedly and reached out for support. "You're in shock, Jean…"

"I want to be alone, Hank," Jean only said and wrapped her arms around her belly, just to leave the infirmary afterwards. She was happy that Logan had taken Michael with him to the museum. In that way she could just let herself fall onto the bed upstairs and cry her eyes out. The pain she felt deep within her soul was unbearable. She felt torn between her grief and the fear of losing the second baby, too. She knew it would already be hard enough to even look at Logan when he came back. If she lost the other child, too, she wouldn't be able to look at him every again… Crying even heavier, Jean pulled her legs close and wrapped her arms around them.

* * *

He was glad to be home again. His ears hurt, his nose had been abused by thousands scents he never wanted to smell again, his eyes felt even worse since he had to keep his eyes on all those hyperactive students that never did as they were told, except he growled and threatened them with murder, his legs felt not good either from all this pointless running around and waiting for drinks, and waiting for food, and waiting to go with those whiney boys onto a toilet and waiting for whatever useless things he had to do today… All he wanted was to eat, shower and sleep and nothing else. "Daddy?" Michael asked and was the first one to receive a warm smile from the man. "Can I go with Aunty Marie and play?"

"Sure, kid," Logan shrugged and watched how the boy ran off to join Rogue and the other trouble makers, of which he hoped he wouldn't see them again today. Well except for Rogue of course.

"Logan? Will you help me with dinner?" Ororo asked but he raised both hand and stepped back.

"Nope, I'm gonna check on Jeannie now, shower and bring this rug rat to bed after he ate somethin' and then…," he sat and turned around. "…I'm gonna chop wood myself. Ask Jubes before she teaches my kid somethin' stupid." Only shaking her head with a smile, Ororo walked down the corridor into the opposite direction, while he had stopped at the staircase with a frown. Concentrating on the noise, Logan suddenly began to run up the stairs and towards his room, where he didn't bother to knock and just went inside. He had heard correctly… "Jean…," Logan asked with concern in his voice and knelt down next to the bed where his wife was crying her eyes out. "Darlin', what's wrong?" Touching her shoulder, he turned her around a bit and suddenly felt scared to death. If she looked so hurt and desperate and cried as if there was no tomorrow, it had to be something more than serious. The last time he'd seen her like this had been when she'd gotten to know that Scott had died and that she was alone with her unborn child. "Baby, what happened?" Logan asked and sat down next to her, not hiding that he was scared. "C'mon talk to me…"

"Oh, Logan…," Jean cried and wrapped her arms around his neck to bury her face in it. "I'm sorry…"

"What are ya sorry for?" he asked in total confusion and cupped her face. "Baby, what happened?" Recalling that she had an appointment for another scan, he felt how an uncomfortable feeling began to spread within him. "Is somethin' wrong with the babies?" Logan asked carefully and had his answer when she sobbed aloud. "What's wrong with'em?" Hearing how she mumbled something into his neck, while he stroked over her back and hair, he shook his head. "Darlin', I didn't understand one word ya were sayin'…" Pulling her a bit away from him, he watched how she buried her face within her hands and tried to heave very deep breaths during her sobs. "What's wrong…?" Logan asked calmly and grabbed her wrists in a light grip to pull them away from her tear stained face. "What did the scan say?"

"Hank said… He said that…," Jean stuttered and shook her head just to bury it again in her hands.

"Said what?" Logan asked but realized that he wouldn't get an answer from her. "Lay down." Pulling her off him, he helped her back onto the bed and got up to jog downstairs to the kitchen. He knew he was there since it was time for dinner. "Hey, Furball!" Ignoring that every head turned towards him, he beckoned him to follow him. Doing so, Hank tried to look into the man's eyes. "What's wrong with Jeannie?"

"She didn't tell you?"

"She ain't even able to speak," Logan grunted. "She's cryin' her eyes out… So what did the fuckin' scan say?"

Hank looked at him for a while, unsure of what to say. "Nothing good, Logan…," he finally replied and saw how the man crossed his arms and cocked an eyebrow at him. "One of the embryos didn't developed further and the second one has, as far as I can tell, a cardiac defect, of which I can't tell if it will be operable or not," he told him truthfully. "Or if the embryo will live that long at all… I'm sorry…"

Glaring at him for a while, Logan looked down the corridor where a huge package stood. "Is that the new scanner?" he asked and Hank nodded. "You'll do another scan."

"Logan, the results won't change…"

"You _will_ do another scan," he hissed and stepped a bit closer, which made Hank step back. "Now!"

Realizing that he would probably stabbed, Hank nodded. "It will take an hour for me to set it up. Meet me…," he began when Logan cut him off and turned around.

"You've 30 minutes, bub," was all he said before he returned to his room.

**Actually that chapter is much longer but I just decided to split it. I'll ty to post the other one soon. Please review! ; )**


	20. Chapter 20

**Author's note:** This chapter contains my pre-written chapter 29 part 2 and a piece of 30 (with a few changes). Thanks to all reviewers!!

Oh and I did some research. I found some articles of women which have reported about the thing I write here!

**Also those who are not members can review. Please do that!! ; )**

**Don't forget, ya ain't alone, darlin' **

He couldn't tell what annoyed him more. Hank, who still set up the darn new scanner, Ororo who gave them sympathetic looks and tried to prevent herself from crying, the fact that he himself wanted to destroy something or the other fact that he couldn't calm his wife. He held her hand and tried to soothe her for what appeared to him as half of his life, while he worried about the result of the test. He couldn't and wouldn't accept that they had lost one child and would probably lose the other one, too. No, he definitely wouldn't accept it…

Finally Hank was done and began to do the scan, closely watched by Logan, whose glaring eyes told Ororo that he was ready to stab him with his claws if the mutant dared to say one wrong word. She herself still couldn't believe it. Only a while ago, Jean had still been so happy about the twins and now this… She switched her attention back to Hank, who had his eyes fixed on the screen and looked tensed. More than tensed actually and she knew him well enough that this wasn't a good sign. One look at Logan told her that he was quickly running out of patience. She heard how the sound was switched on by him and even she could tell that the constant _boom boom _of the heart sounded differently. Since Jean began to sob and clung even more to Logan, she knew she was right…

"So?" Logan asked and wrapped both arms around his wife's neck to let her cry into his shoulder. He waited for a reply of Hank, but there was none and it drove him nuts. If that guy wouldn't respond within the next 30 seconds, he would go into a berserker rage that had him as its target. He looked to the side as Ororo took Jean's free hand into hers and finally the Furball looked up, too.

"Help Jean to turn onto her right side," this one said and ignored the cocked eyebrow he was given. Patient as he was, he waited for them to do so and went on with his scan.

Sighing aloud after a while, Logan rolled his eyes. "And?" he asked impatiently and glare at the blue man in front of the screen. What was so difficult to tell them the truth about the babies… "Is somethin' wrong with the heart, yes or no? Could you just fuckin' say it, damn it?" he growled. Instead of getting an answer, he saw how Hank typed in more commands on the keyboard and growled louder. If that guy wanted to test the scanner's functions then….yeah, he'd go into a berserker rage immediately…

In the meanwhile Hank had switched to the 3D portrayal of the scan and was examining this one very closely. He tried to do it quick to not longer making them wait for the result, but at the same time he wanted to be sure that everything was alright. Even if the sound of the heart beat told him otherwise. He gave Ororo, who tried to soothe the still sobbing Jean, a brief look and began to rotate the picture. This new scanner was really fascinating, as he thought… But at least he finally had the results. "There's nothing wrong with the baby…," he said and received three skeptical looks.

"I can hear that the heartbeat is off," Jean sniffed and ran a hand through her face. "Stop lying to me…"

"I'm not lying, Jean," Hank assured her. "There's nothing wrong with the boy. He's fine."

"It's not!" she gave back and sounded more than angered.

He typed in a command and waited for the screen on the wall to switch on. "See for yourself. It has a reason why the heartbeat it irregular…," he only replied and nodded at the screen behind him. Smiling, he saw how Jean's eyes widened and she covered her mouth in shock. Logan only narrowed his eyes and furrowed his brows, while Ororo had the same odd look on her face than the redhead. "Wasn't it you who wanted a girl?" he asked Logan, who could only nod in silence and still stared at the screen. "Well, I can assure both of you that the irregularity was the heartbeat of the girl. She's is right behind the boy and I didn't see her first. But both of them look fine and healthy."

"See?" Ororo said and tried to calm her best friend, who had begun to sob heartrendingly in relief. "I told you that you were far too big for two babies only."

Holding her while Jean clung to him, Logan pressed a gently kiss against her palm before he looked at Hank. "But it's only the two anymore, right?" he asked, hiding his disappointment.

Looking at the screen again, Hank nodded. "At least I don't see a heartbeat here. The difficulty is that the girl lies right behind the two boys. They cover her perfectly and I can't separate the heartbeats from each other. Not even with this great rotating function of the new scanner." He patted this one lovingly and Logan rolled his eyes.

"Is it possible that the boy is only smaller but still living?" was all he was interested in. "I mean…ya told us before that with twins it often happens that one is smaller than the other, so why not?"

"Let's say from what I can tell you now it's twins, a boy and a girl," Hank replied and heard the annoyed groan. "We will do another scan in a few days. Maybe the babies have moved into another position and give us a better look. Don't forget, Logan, there are even women who didn't know about twins before they were actually born. In a pregnancy, everything is possible."

"Yeah, yeah, whatever," Logan grunted and took some tissues to wipe the gel off Jean's belly. By now her strong sobs had turned into single sniffs. God he wanted to hurt Hank and the scanner so badly for making such a mess out of her. But at least they could still tell Michael about babies and not only baby… He helped her up and returned the strong embrace she gave him, before he led her upstairs and told her to rest after he'd brought her a tea. For the rest of the day he watched her sleeping and stroked over her belly absently. He still tried to sort out what he was thinking about the situation. Sure, they had twins, but he had always been an everything or nothing guy. He knew there were three babies, so he wanted all of them. But in the end it was better than none at all… Well, in the end it had been Michael, too, who had wanted a sister. Sighing, Logan sat up a bit and ran both hands through his face. He looked at his still sleeping wife and recalled what Hank had told him. She needed to rest, a lot if possible and he would make sure that she got it. With Michael already in bed and sleeping he only had her to worry about and a look at the clock told him that he should be sleeping, too. So he went over to take a quick shower and got ready for bed. When he looked at her sleeping form again, he asked himself if he really was ready for twins, or if they were really lucky, a triplet within the next 10 weeks. The new rooms were already done, the room for the babies decorated and filled with everything they'd need… Okay, not really everything, they still needed clothes now that were more girly like, but hey, screw that… Logan switched the light on the bedside table off and pulled his pillow closer with one arm, the other rested on Jean's waist and he really hoped she would sleep through tonight after all the stress she had.

Of course he was lucky this night, but a few days later he woke up and saw her standing at the window in the dark. Instantly, Logan thought something was wrong and switched the lights on. It wouldn't have bothered him, if she hadn't looked so tired in the morning and he had guessed that she obviously hadn't slept at all. "What's wrong?" he asked her drowsily and pushed himself up onto his arms, since he had slept on his belly again.

She turned, one hand pressed against her back, the other on her big belly and he thought one more how tired she actually looked. "I can't sleep…"

"Are ya kiddin'?" Logan asked and sat up completely. "Ya look half comatose, darlin'!"

"I am, but I can't sleep," Jean said and ran a hand through her tired face. "I can neither sleep on my back or sides anymore…."

"So I was right and ya haven't slept in the past three days…," he scolded her and pulled the sheet away. "Why didn't ya tell me earlier?"

"I thought it was only temporary," she sighed barely audible and again ran both hands through her face. She watched how he began to pile all of their pillows and laid back again, so that he was in a half sitting position.

"Come here," Logan said and patted the spot between his legs. Walking over to him, she laid down between them and allowed him to pull the sheets over her, before he laid back and pulled her against his chest. "Better?"

"God, yeah…," Jean sighed and instantly closed her eyes. "That's perfect…"

"Well, ya couldn't have said it earlier, couldn't ya?" he scolded her again and reached out to switch the lights off. "And now sleep," he added, but realized that she was already doing it. Only shaking his head, he wrapped one arm around her and tried to fall asleep again, too.

* * *

And of course his situation even got worse a few weeks later. Everything had been alright, Ororo had complained that they still had to go shopping for baby clothing, since they had gotten boy stuff only, and then during breakfast it had happened… Jean had grimaced first, let out a shocked shriek next and then her waters had broken and he had known…his hell had just begun… They were in the infirmary for a few hours by now and all hank had told them was that it would probably still take some time. Since Jean was tensed like never before, he'd suggested they go for a walk on the outside. Well, okay, Logan had thought it would help him to get over the sick feeling in his stomach, too, and had gone outside with her. The whole pregnancy through he had felt weird, had eaten things he didn't like and yeah, had even back pain and headaches. He, the Wolverine with a healing factor, had back pains and headaches! And Jean had often gone nuts because of him, but hey, he would soon be a father for real this time and he had every right to be. She had driven him nuts more than once, especially if she was hungry at night and he had to drive to the next supermarket to get what she wanted and then…yeah, then she had often changed her mind and wanted something else. And of course the things she had wanted had never been in the fridge of the mansion…

So now here Logan was, holding her hand and walking next to her through the garden, while he didn't dare to say one word. He had told her that he wouldn't touch her or even speak to her during her labors, only if she told him what to do and what to say. No way he would be the target of her wrath if he did something wrong. So he shut up, walked next to her, held her hand, waited at the tree while she supported herself against it as another labor hit her and walked again. And…did he mention that he was nervous? Or better, he was so close to freak out that he wanted to run and get drunk, even if he couldn't… He kept on asking himself _Had the babies his hair or hers? What would their eye color be later? Where there two or really three? What if there were three? Could he handle them? Would he be a good father? What if he failed?!_

"Would you stop it?" Jean suddenly snapped and shot a glare at him.

"Stop what?" he asked innocently and swallowed. God, he hoped he hadn't been sending…

"I heard it!" was all she hissed and turned towards the tree again with a suppressed groan. He watched her slowly rocking back and forth. This must be a really bad one, he thought and asked himself if he should say something or not…

"We should get back inside…," Logan dared to suggest and hoped she wouldn't hit him with anything. But Jean nodded after a moment and reached out for him to support her, which he gladly did. Of course he had to be so lucky and run into Mrs. Gossip in the kitchen, who sipped in her drink and talked with her best friends. Rogue, Kitty, Bobby, Peter and Warren immediately turned their heads and watched the couple passing through, as Jean stopped at the doorframe again to support herself with a loud sigh once more. Not knowing what else to do, he rubbed her back and wished he hadn't, because now the kids new.

"Oh my God, is the baby coming?" Rogue instantly asked and received a nod only from him.

"I bet 50 bucks that he faints!" Jubilee cooed.

"Shut up, Jubes!" Logan snapped with a growl and shot a glare at her before he turned back to his wife. "Need help? I can carry ya…"

"No…," Jean sighed and heaved another deep breath.

Somehow they ended back up in the infirmary and here his torture really began. While he stood in one corner, arms crossed and watched her worriedly, she was pacing like a caged tiger, stopped here and there to support herself against tables or other bed, then walk again, then support, walk, support, walk…and it drove him nuts. He felt her stress and pain and he wanted to help her, but at the same time he didn't know what to do. It had been easier with Michel though, since he had been directly thrown into the whole labor thingy and all he had to do was help her to push and nothing more. Now he was in for the full ride and he felt as lost as a man could be.

"Can you rub my back again?" he heard her asking and snapped out of his daydream to see that she leant over one table and rocked back and forth again. Logan walked over and did what she wanted, even gave her something to drink just to have to watch once more how she began to pace.

Finally a door opened and Hank came in. "Any changes?" he asked and looked to and fro between them.

"I want those damn painkillers or I strangle the person responsible for it!" Jean hissed and Logan cocked an eyebrow at her. When had he become the target of her wrath? He hadn't done anything wrong, had he? Okay, maybe the impregnate part but hell, she forgot to take the pill not him…

"Okay, then you should sit down on the bed," Hank suggested and began to rummage in the cupboard where he had all his medical equipment in it. Logan watched how he stopped behind Jean and the redhead grabbed his arms in a more than tight grip. An even tighter one as Hank injected whatever he gave her into her back. God, again he was glad to have adamantium bones and a healing factor. That woman really had some kind of hidden strength that he even hissed louder as she did, when she crushed his bones and Hank gave her the painkillers. "You should lay down from now on," Hank suggested and helped her to do so. "Get some rest."

"REST?!" Jean asked aloud and looked at him as if she was about to kill him.

"Or try to find some…," he quickly corrected himself.

"Would you men ever shut up?" she asked angrily and shifted her position on the bed, while the two men exchanged a look with each other. Logan shook his head and watched how Hank began to check on Jean again, while he could only stand and stare. What else?

"If it keeps on going so slow, you should think about a cesarean, Jean," Hank suggested and if looks could kill, he'd be dead, Logan thought about the man.

"And again, only if there's no other way!" she gave back stressed and crushed Logan's arm once more. Hank could only nod and left the room quickly while the redhead turned to Logan. "Could you get me the shirt I'd worn when Michael was born?" she asked him in a surprisingly gentle voice and he nodded quickly before she would change her mind again or blame him for not being willing to make the situation easier for him.

When he left the room, he stopped dead in the tracks. "What are you doing here?" he asked and looked at half of the school that sat on the ground in front of the infirmary.

"Do you think we want to miss the first Wolvie baby?" Jubilee asked him in a tone that gave him the impression she thought he was dumb. Only rolling his eyes, Logan headed upstairs, took the shirt and was about to head back, just to hear Jean shouting at him mentally to get back down instantly before she would have to come up.

"Why? What's wrong?" he asked her on the same way back as Ororo appeared in the door, sweaty and panting from an obvious run. And damn, but he knew what was wrong all of a sudden. Grabbing the shirt he ran past her and down to the infirmary again, where baby number one had obviously changed his or her mind and wanted to do it quickly now…

**Okay, I stop it here. Hope you enjoyed reading it and please review! ****; ) I'll try to post the next chapter soon! And state your wishes!**


	21. Chapter 21

**Author's note:** This chapter contains my pre-written chapter 29 part three plus additional scenes, since actually only twins were planned.

**Also those who are not members can review. Please do that!! ; )**

**Don't forget, ya ain't alone, darlin' **

"God, what is taking them so long?" Jubilee cried and let out a loud sigh while she leant back against the cold wall once more. "It can't be so hard to give birth to a baby, right?"

"Jubes…," Kitty said and rolled her eyes in annoyance. "For the tenth time in the past hour… Shut up!" she warned and looked at Michael, who sat between Ororo's legs and played with his toy. "But it really takes long, doesn't it? I thought the second child was faster…"

"Well, it's not that…," Ororo began and wanted to tell them that it wasn't just _one_ child, as they could hear a shrill cry from within.

"It's here!" Jubilee said excitedly and clapped her hands together. "And since I couldn't hear a hollow _clonk_ I guess that Wolvie didn't faint." Giggling like a madman, she had all furrowed brows on her side.

"You really are nuts," Bobby remarked as they could hear a second cry and exchanged surprised looks.

"Another one?" Rogue asked and looked at Ororo, who only nodded. "He didn't tell us."

"He had a reason not to," the woman replied and stared at the ground, waiting and hoping that she would hear a third cry, too, but there was none. "Come on…," Ororo prayed through clenched teeth and looked up when the door opened.

"Out of my way!" Moira called and ran past them with a small bundle on her arms of which she knew what it was. Biting her lip hard, Ororo watched how the woman disappeared behind the door to the infirmary and turned her head back to the other side.

* * *

Inside the room, Jean had leant back in exhaustion and with sweat still visible on her face. Reaching out, Logan used a wet cloth to cool her flushed cheeks and to wipe the small droplets from her forehead. "I'm proud of ya," he whispered and received a weak smile from her before he placed a kiss onto her forehead. He then looked down onto the two small beings on her chest and put the cloth away to lean down a bit and have a better look on them. "Can't remember that Mikey was so small, too…," he mumbled and stroked over the babies' hands carefully. 

"Well, he wasn't," Jean replied tiredly and caressed her daughter's head with one finger as Hank re-entered the room.

"Let's do the check-up now so that you get some rest," he suggested and took the boy into his arms while Logan took the girl. "If you're in pain or something call me, okay?" he asked and Jean nodded weakly, before she closed her eyes. Logan followed Hank to the additional room, where he watched how the mutant began to examine the boy, who started crying since he obviously didn't like to be disturbed in his sleep. "Well, if he hadn't gotten his loud voice from you…"

"What's that supposed to mean?" Logan growled and looked up from his daughter to shoot a glare at the man.

"Exactly what I said my friend," Hank smiled and was obviously satisfied with the boy. "He looks good. While I check on her, you can already clean him and dress him properly." Nodding, Logan handed the girl to him and took the boy just to walk over to the small bathtub and fill it with warm water. He couldn't help but smirk as the boy began to protest aloud. Obviously he was a shower guy like he was and didn't like bathtubs at all. When he had him dressed and wrapped into a warm blanket, he did the same with the girl and walked back to Jean with both children on his arms. The redhead smiled tiredly at him and took the boy into her arms while he sat down on the edge next to her with his daughter in his.

"Both look fine and healthy from what I can tell," hank informed them and looked at the chart in his hands. "Their reflexes are fine, too, and even if they are pretty small and underweight I guess that they will gain height and weight quickly when they eat properly. If you notice anything unusual, let me know. I will go and check on the other boy." Putting the chart away, he left the room and was surprised to see so many people in front of the door. Only nodding at them, he walked down the corridor and entered the infirmary, where Moira greeted him with a more than tensed face.

"Want me to get Mikey?" Logan asked calmly and waited for Jean's nod before he handed her the girl and got up. As soon as he had reached the door, the others jumped up and bombarded him with questions over questions that did not only annoy him but also hurt his sensitive ears. "Could ya just wait?" he asked them a half growl and beckoned Michael to come over to him. Pulling the boy up, he disappeared into the room again and sat down with the boy on his lap on the edge of the bed again. "Say hi to your siblings," Logan said calmly to not wake up the babies again and bent forward a bit when Michael reached out to stroke over the babies' head. "Carefully!"

"It's your brother and sister," Jean told her son and saw his happy smile.

"Good?" Logan asked him and the boy nodded happily, which made him smirk. "Right answer, pal." He turned his head when Hank came back in and cocked an eyebrow at the man. Since the blue mutant saw that Michael was with them in the room, he smiled at the boy and held up two birth certificates.

"Any names?" he asked them and watched how Logan slapped his forehead.

"Shit!" the man cursed and Hank looked at them in confusion.

"How could the two of you think about everything but forgot to pick names?" he asked them and shook his head. "Okay,….I am not so surprised with you, Logan…," he added and received a look when he sat down on the table. "So? Then start thinking but make it quick."

"What kind of names do you like for your siblings?" Jean asked Michael but the boy shrugged.

"C'mon," Logan said and looked at the boy. "A few days ago ya told me about a name for your sister."

Seeing how her son nodded, the redhead looked at him. "Which one?" she asked him.

"Jenny," Michael replied.

"Jennifer?" Jean asked and he nodded.

"And the boy?" Logan asked him with a look on the baby. "Since they are twins he needs a name with J, too."

While Michael began to think, Hank looked to and fro between them. "Can I write Jennifer onto the certificate then?" he asked.

Looking at Logan, Jean left the decision for him but he nodded. "Yeah."

"I don't know a name, mommy," Michael suddenly said and pouted.

"What about Jacob?" Hank asked since the couple had began to think for a few minutes. While Logan cocked an eyebrow at him and Jean pulled a face, commented it with an additional _Nah_, he raised both hands. "It was just a thought!"

"But what about Jake?" the redhead said instead with a look at her husband.

"What do ya think, hm?" Logan asked Michael, who nodded his agreement. "Good, then it's Jake."

Laughing, Hank shook his head and wrote the name down. "And you couldn't have thought about this earlier, hm?" he joked and smirked at Jean. "Want me to write his name down as the father or did you change your mind?"

Narrowing his eyes at him first, Logan flashed a glare at Jean next. "No, I think he's alright, Hank," she nodded and stroked over her husband's hand.

"Your luck, girl!" this one growled.

A bit later, when Michael was already in bed, Logan had answered all questions and the twins were sleeping in their small beds after being fed, the couple had sat down with Moira and Hank to be informed about the third boy. Logan had helped the redhead over to the infirmary and both had been shocked to see that the boy was hooked up to machines. About to start crying, Jean had buried her face into his chest and he'd pulled her close while he was unable to pull his eyes away from the small being in front of him.

Having giving them some time to adjust to the situation, Moira looked at the chart. "I won't lie to you," she began and read through the lines she had written down. "From what the examination has shown me I can tell you that his lungs have a hypofunction…"

"That means?" Logan grunted and stroked absently through Jean's hair while his head was racing. He knew she could hear it through his chest.

"That his lungs are not able to work on their own," Hank answered. "From what Moira told me it's even a miracle to us that she has managed to get the boy to breathe. He was practically dead when he was born and we can't tell up to know if he has taken any serious damage from the long lack of oxygen." He gave the boy a brief look. "But if you ask me it is very likely since they don't have an active mutation yet."

"You don't know that," Logan gave back.

"We do," Moira disagreed. "Mutations kick in during puberty. Not during childhood. At least we haven't heard about any cases till now."

Letting the news sink in, Logan began to rock Jean slowly back and forth. "So what now?"

"Honestly?" Hank asked. "Because the two of you won't like what we have to tell you…"

"I already don't like it, so it can't get worse, can it?" Logan snapped.

While she exchanged a short look with hank, Moira heaved a deep breath and nodded. "We suggest that we will wait three days. If he doesn't start breathing on his own until then…"

"Then what?" he asked and looked to and fro between them.

"…then they'll switch the machines off…," Jean mumbled into his chest and didn't suppress her urge to cry anymore.

"You'll let him die?!" Logan asked them in disbelief.

"Logan, he shouldn't even be alive anymore. I am sorry, but it's the truth…," Hank apologized with sympathy in his voice and eyes. "He is the weakest from the triplet and to be honest, I already saw it coming but have hoped for a miracle. The boy isn't able to live on his own without machines, and you can't want him to suffer…"

Looking down, Logan shook his head and switched his attention back to Jean. "So three days, huh?" he asked in a husky voice and without looking up.

"Yes," Moira nodded. "Anything else would only mean torture for the boy… I am sorry…" Only nodding, he led Jean back to her room and comforted her on the bed until she fell asleep. Thinking about what lay ahead of them made chills run down his spine. He didn't like death, not at all and especially not if it had to do with him. Of course he had tried endless times to end his own life after he had woken up in the forest and had learned about what he was, but now he didn't want it anymore. When Rogue had touched him after he had accidentally stabbed her, he had learned that he didn't like death. That he wanted to live and the feeling he had experienced while he thought he was dying, left him with a great will to avoid death at all costs. Even thinking about that he would probably outlive his wife and friends made him angry beyond limits. And being told now that his son would probably die in third days and that he was powerless to do anything against it, made him go nuts. If he could he would gladly give his life if it meant that his son would live…

"You're crying…," he heard Jean mumbling while he still stroked through her hair.

"No, I ain't…," Logan replied but she had already turned around and to give him a look.

"Yes you are," she said and pulled him down for him to wrap his arms around her waist. "There's nothing wrong about it…," Jean added and pulled him close while she buried her face into his neck.

"It ain't fair…," she heard him mumbling into her neck and heaved a deep breath while she wiped her tears away with one hand.

"Well, we just have to accept that we have two healthy babies…," she replied and he sat up in a rush to stare at her with wet eyes.

"So, ya just accept this?!" he asked her angered.

"No, I don't," Jean replied and shook her head. "But I am a doctor, Logan. I know the odds… Having a triplet without any additional hormones is already a miracle, so we shouldn't get our hopes up too much. As hard as it might sound now…" Looking down again, she swallowed hard and blinked. "Getting emotionally involved too much is only making it harder and worse… You shouldn't do this." She shook her head while he could only stare at her in shock.

"He's my son, Jean. My baby, so how dare you tellin' me that I shouldn't get emotionally involved?!" he growled.

"You got it wrong, Logan!" Jean gave back. "I didn't mean to tell you to just forget about the fact that he exists. But if you wish too hard now, the more you will be shattered if he doesn't make it…" Biting her lip hard, she began to pull a face. "And I don't have the strength to deal with his death, you being shattered and my emotions at the same time if he really won't make it…"

Closing his eyes, Logan swallowed hard and finally pulled her close to let her cry into his chest. "I'm sorry…," he whispered into her hair and closed his eyes again while she pulled him as close as possible.

* * *

After three agonizing days had passed, their hopes were shattered. While the twins were doing fine and were already spoiled by everyone, Hank had knocked at their door after dinner with a stern look on his face. He didn't need to tell them why he came or what he was about to say. Only nodding, Logan had closed the door again and had turned to Jean, who had just finished feeding the twins and had put them back into the cradles. Looking into his eyes, she felt how fear took over and shook her head. "Jean…," Logan sighed but she back off. 

"I can't…," she begged and buried her face in her hands.

"Me neither, but we have to…," he replied and sat down on the bed behind her to pull her close. "Come on…"

"I can't watch my baby die, Logan," she sobbed and shook her head. "I really can't…"

Seeing her pleading look, he stroked over her head and nodded. "'kay…," was all he said and got up. "Want me to get 'Ro so that she stays here with you?" he asked and she nodded. Nodding, too, he left the room briefly to walk over to the weather goddess' room, where he knocked and waited for her to open. "Hey…," she said in surprise as she noticed his look. "Oh no…"

"Could ya stay with her?" he asked without looking at her.

"Is she not coming with you?" Ororo asked and closed the door behind her.

"She can't…," Logan answered and noticed that she was about to hug him but he backed off. "Don't. Just stay with her until I get back."

Nodding, she bit her lip hard and stopped at her friend's door, where she stopped again to watch him walking down the corridor. She couldn't ignore the big knot in her throat and called his name, which made him stop. "I'm so sorry…," was all Ororo could say and he looked down, just to give her a weak nod. Waiting until he was out of sight, she opened the door to join the devastated redhead on the bed.

* * *

Downstairs, Logan remained in front of the door to the ICU for a while before he found the strength to enter. Looking up from the monitors, Hank gave him a surprised look. "Where is Jean?" he asked but Logan shook his head. 

"She's not comin'"

Nodding, the man got up and stopped next to his friend. "You ready for this? You don't have to be here, you know…"

Having his eyes fixed on the boy, Logan heaved a deep breath and nodded. "Tell me what to do and leave…," he said and earned a surprised look. "I mean it… I want to be alone."

Only nodding, hank walked over to the monitor. "All you need to do is push this button here. It will stop the artificial respiration. Then you can pull out the tube out of his mouth if you want and push this button so that you don't have to listen to the heartbeat. I think it will make it the more unbearable if you do…" Waiting for a nod, he walked over and squeezed his friend's shoulder. "I'm sorry, Logan. I wished there had been a miracle in the past days…" Receiving another nod only, he walked over to the door. "I'll be outside," was all he said before he left the room and left Logan to stare at the tiny boy in front of him.

Finally managing to give his legs the order to move, while he began to shake due to a sudden coldness that took over, he stopped next to the bed and looked down. He had tried to follow Jean's advice to not get emotionally involved, but as for the redhead upstairs, it had been useless. He couldn't push the thought aside that they were about to lose a child as soon as he would push the button and that he was doomed to watch him dying. While his jaw tensed, Logan reached carefully out to stroke over the boy's small head and felt how his heart clenched painfully. He didn't want him to die but he also knew that keeping him alive for longer only meant torture for his son and he didn't want that either. Sitting down on the edge of the bed he couldn't tear his eyes away from the boy, even if he wanted it. He wanted to be everywhere but here and even played with the thought to leave the room and let Hank do it, but the voice in his head told him that it was for him to do so. It was him who had being a part in creating the boy, so it should be him to end the torture, too. But he also knew that a father should never watch his own child die… Swallowing hard, Logan ran a hand through his face and bent down to place a gentle kiss on the boy's forehead, watching how a wet droplet landed on the bed. "Be well, Jaden," he whispered and stroked one last time over the boy's cheek, before he took one of the small hands into his to give him the feeling that he wasn't alone and turned his head to look at the machine. Heaving another deep breath and not caring that he was crying, he reached out with his free hand and touched the button. Looking at the boy again, he finally pushed both of them and heard how the machines stopped working before he pulled the tube carefully out of the throat and let it fall to the ground. Stroking the boy's hand with his left and the head with his right, Logan watched how the chest stopped moving and closed his eyes to heave a deep breath. "I'm sorry…," he whispered and kissed the boy's head again before he dared to look at the monitor that displayed the heartbeat of the boy and he waited for it to turn into a flat line while he still comforted his son as good as he could…

* * *

Upstairs, Jean still sobbed into Ororo's arms while the woman stroked over her back and cried, too. "You know it's the best for the boy, Jean…," she told her for the hundredth time and heaved a deep breath. "There's nothing you could have done about it…" Resting her head on the redhead's, she looked up at the same time as Jean did when the door opened. Seeing Logan like this shocked her. She had never seen him crying openly or showing weakness before and it only made the situation harder for her. Hearing how Jean let out another loud sob and whimper, she let go of her to make room for Logan, who comforted his wife and began to rock her slowly back and forth. Ororo remained on the edge of the bed and looked at them while she cried silently, heard him mumbling something into Jean's hair of what she thought where words of comfort, but the redhead suddenly looked up… 

**I didn't reckoned with the chapter being finished today, since I had typed 10 pages for Changes before, but hey, I made it. LOL I hope you guys won't bite my head ****off for the cliffie. I just love them. LOL Please review and thanks to all of you who have reviewed the past chapter!!! See ya!**


	22. Chapter 22

**Author's note:** This chapter contains additional scenes plus my pre-written chapter 30.

**Also those who are not members can review. Please do that!! ; )**

**Don't forget, ya ain't alone, darlin' **

"What did you just say?" Jean asked barely audible and heard her own heartbeat racing in her ears. Touching Logan's cheek she made him look up. "What did you say?" she whispered again and waited agonizing minutes, at least it appeared to her as some, before he looked up at her with wet eyes.

"He's alive…," Logan whispered back again and shook his head before he buried his face in one hand and heaved a deep breath.

Staring at him for a while, Jean exchanged a look with Ororo and turned back to him to shake her head. "No…," she said in denial and backed off a bit. "That's not possible…"

Giving a short laugh that sounded more like a sob, he nodded. "I know… But it's true," he replied and switched his gaze back at her.

"But… But how?" Ororo asked him.

"I don't know," he shrugged and leant his head back against the head of the bed to close his eyes. "Even the Furball can't tell…"

"What happened then?" Jean asked in a weak voice, not able to tear her eyes off him.

"What do ya think?" Logan asked back. "I turned the machines off, pulled the tube out and he stopped breathin'. I looked at the monitor and waited but his heart kept on beatin' and when I looked back at him, he was breathin' on his own…" Shaking his head again he ran both hands through his face. "Hank said that this wasn't possible. He was supposed to die…"

"But what now?" Ororo asked. "Is he going to make it?"

"I don't know," he shrugged.

"I don't believe you…," he heard Jean suddenly saying and cocked an eyebrow at her.

"What?!" Logan asked in disbelief.

"I don't believe you!" she said again and shook her head.

"Jean, what are you talking about?" Ororo asked her in confusion. "Why are you saying this?!"

"Because it's not true," the redhead replied. "He can't be alive…"

Letting out a snort, Logan took her hand and pulled her with him. "Then see for yaself," he grunted and forced her to come with him down to the infirmary, where Hank looked up from examining the boy. "Look!" he told her and pushed her towards the bed. "He's alive and breathin'…"

"What's wrong?" Hank asked him in confusion and watched how Jean stared at the boy through odd looking eyes.

"She thinks I'm lying," he grunted and crossed his arms when she suddenly turned to look at him with a cold stare. "What?"

"That's not my child," Jean hissed and glared at him.

"Are ya outta your mind or somethin'?" Logan snapped and shook his head with a short laugh. "Do ya think I exchanged him for another baby or what?!"

"I don't know what you did, but this," she pointed at the boy, "…is not my child! My baby is dead…"

Staring at her in disbelief, he watched how she left the room and turned to Hank helplessly. "What was that now?"

"If I am not mistaken, she is in shock, Logan," he told him. "Obviously she has come to terms with her son's death and can't accept or believe that he is alive. Give her some time to understand what has happened and don't take the things she said too seriously…"

Only nodding, Logan looked at the boy. "How is he doin'?"

"Surprisingly fine," Hank replied. "But Jean needs to feed him. He has to gain weight and he also needs physical contact with both of you."

"How long do ya think will her weird behavior last?" Logan asked him after stroking over his son's head. "Because if I am not mistaken, she won't let me sleep next to her tonight…"

"It was a big shock, not only for her…," the other man told him. "Just give her time to adjust to the situation." Looking at the clock and then back at Logan he cleared his throat. "Since I am sure she will refuse to touch the boy, I suggest you try to feed him. At least if you are not too tired…" Waiting for a nod, he gave a nod back. "Do you know if Jean has prepared some milk for the night?" he asked a bit embarrassed.

"Yeah, upstairs…," Logan nodded.

"Okay, I'll heat it and get it for you," Hank said and walked over to the door. "You can use the chair next to the bed and the blanket if you want."

Hearing how the door closed, Logan remained on the same spot for a while before he took the blanket and looked at the chair. He knew he wouldn't find any sleep this night and hoped Ororo would help Jean with the twins, while he had to stay downstairs. Looking at the boy, he thought about what Hank said and reached carefully out to touch him. To him he looked so fragile and tiny that Logan really was afraid to break him if he moved him one bit. But since the other mutant had told him how important physical contact was, he dared to pick him carefully up and especially paid attention to the head. When he sat down on the stool, he wrapped the blanket around himself and the boy to keep him warm, and smiled when Jaden opened his eyes a bit. "Hey," Logan whispered and stroked over the boy's head with a warm smile. "You're such a troublemaker, buddy. Ya already know how to scare mommy and me, huh?" he asked when the door opened and Hank re-appeared with a bottle in his hands.

"With physical contact I actually meant shirtless, Logan," he smirked and put the bottle onto the table next to the bed. "But at least you pulled him up. I actually thought you would be too afraid to touch him."

"Furball," Logan grunted. "First, ya scare the shit outta me, then ya want me to strip and now ya call me a sissy… What next?"

"Never mind," the other mutant replied. "But it's better for the boy if he has skin-to-skin contact, you know? So hand him to me and start stripping!" Holding out his hands, he waited for Logan to reach the boy over to him before he watched smirking how the shirt landed on the floor. "Perfect. Now take your son, wrap him into the blanket and let's hope that he will eat." Waiting for Logan to do so, he watched in tension how the man held the man held the bottle onto the boy's lips. But nothing happened.

"I guess that's bad…," Logan asked and looked up just to see Hank nodding.

"If he doesn't start eating it will be as bad as him not breathing on his own," the man replied and sighed. "He must have this trouble maker attitude from you, Logan. Jean never made any problems…" Receiving a look for it, he suddenly smiled. "There…"

Looking down with furrowed eyebrows, Logan's softened and he smiled at the boy. "Good boy," he said while this one sucked on the bottle, first slowly then a bit faster.

"Then let's hope he gains weight. If nothing happens in between and he doesn't have any problems to digest the food, I think you can take him upstairs with you as soon as he has normal weight."

"You mean as soon as Jean accepts him," Logan corrected him without looking up.

"She will, Logan. She only needs to understand what has happened." Yawning, Hank stretched and squeezed the back of his nose. "If you don't mind, but I'll lie down and sleep. I'll be in the lab if anything is wrong. Try to sleep a bit, too. You can use the beds here."

"Mm…," he heard the man replying and shook his head.

"Too fascinated to give a proper answer, huh?" he asked with a smile and shook his head. "Good night then."

* * *

When Logan awoke a few hours later he immediately began to frown and couldn't hide his surprise. On the chair, which he had occupied before, sat Jean with swollen eyes and looked back at him. He wondered for how long she was already sitting there. Carefully, he sat up a bit, not without a protesting noise from Jaden, who had been happily asleep in his father's arms, and pulled the boy closer just to wrap him a bit more into the warm blanket. "What are ya doin' here?" he asked his wife in a calm voice that was still thick with sleep. 

"I'm sorry," she whispered back and ran a hand through her exhausted face. "I didn't mean what I said…"

"Oh really?" he asked and shifted his position into a more comfortable one.

"I just can't believe it…"

"Jean.,…ya accused me of havin' exchanged our baby with another one," he gave back, still feeling hurt because of it, and made her look down in embarrassment. "I still don't get what made ya even think that?!"

"Because I reckoned with everything but not with that!" Jean cried and heaved a deep breath. "I was so ready for you to tell me that it was over… But not that…" She looked at the boy with tears in her eyes and shook her head.

Shaking his head, too, he smiled as Jaden yawned and took one of the tiny hands into his. "So what now?" he asked her after a while.

"I don't know…," she replied truthfully and pulled her legs close while she watched him from aside.

"Wanna hold him?" Logan asked after a moment and cocked an eyebrow at her since she shook her head. "Jean, he's your baby. He needs ya!"

"I know that, Logan," she sighed and closed her eyes for a moment. "But I still need some time to…to understand this…"

"What's there to understand?" Waiting for a reply he looked at her from aside. "Come here, Jean…," Logan said and moved aside a bit. Unsure of what to do she bit her lip and remained where she was. "C'mon…" Finally getting up, she came slowly closer; her eyes never leaving the sleeping boy. He reached out to pull her down next to him. "So?" he asked and looked at her. "Is it that bad to be close to him?"

"No…," she said barely audible and leant her head against his shoulder. "I just can't believe it…" She sighed and heaved a deep breath to calm her nerves once more. "He was already dead for me…"

"But he ain't! He's alive and needs us, especially you." Switching her eyes back to the boy, she felt how Logan took her hand. "Touch him," he said and noticed her insecure look. "Show him you're there for him…" Watching her, Logan noticed her hesitation and gave her an encouraging nod when her hand stopped in midair. "He won't bite, ya know," he added and met her eyes briefly before her fingers brushed over the boy's dark hair briefly. About to say something when she withdrew her hand quickly as if she'd burned herself, Logan smiled in relief next. "See? He didn't bit your hand off, did he?" he asked her smirking as she stroked over her son's cheek.

Sniffing, Jean snuggled closer to him and sighed. "I can't believe we're that lucky…," she told him after a moment and looked at her son. "I mean…," she said and touched Jaden once more. "…having a triplet first, not knowing if all of them will be alive and then thinking that we lost one… It's too much all at once…"

"I know…," Logan nodded and leant his head onto hers. "Who's with the others?" he added after a moment.

"'Ro," she answered sleepily as Jaden began to whine first and cry aloud next. "Hungry?"

"Yeah, I think so," he nodded and gave her a look, hoping she would understand what he meant, but she already held out her arms to take the boy from him. "Give him to me. Jenny and Jake should be hungry by now, too. You could go upstairs and help 'Ro to feed them."

After handing her the boy and getting up, Logan gave her an insecure look. "Ya sure? I mean…," he scratched the back of his head. "A few minutes ago you didn't even look at him and now ya want to feed him… It's quiet weird for me, ya know?"

"I'm fine, Logan," she assured him and stroked over her son's cheek while the boy sucked eagerly. "It was just the shock…"

"'kay…," he shrugged. "I'll be right back then." Leaving the room, he headed for their room where a stressed Ororo already tried to take care of the two crying babies.

"Good that you're here," she cried and gave him a pleading look to help him out of the mess. "I don't know where Jean is. I woke up due to their crying and she was gone…"

"She's in the basement and feeds Jaden," he told her and took Jenny from her to make his way to the kitchen.

Following him with the boy on her arm, she gave him a confused look. "Basement?" she asked as if she'd just learned the word.

"Yeah. Don't ask me why but Jeannie suddenly accepts Jaden," he shrugged and began to heat the milk in the kitchen.

"That's a surprise," she said and sounded a bit confused about the sudden change. "Because when she came back she was completely not herself… How is the boy?"

"I hope good," Logan mumbled and handed her one bottle, while he checked if the milk was too hot first, and began to feed his daughter next before the girl would scream even louder. "There ya go…"

"So he's going to make it? Hank seemed to be worried the last time I saw him," she asked after a moment of silence and gave him a look from aside.

"If ya saw how much he ate before ya wouldn't believe that he was supposed to be dead before," Logan replied with a look and she nodded.

"Good to hear," she smiled. "So…I guess someone will have a lot to do in the next weeks, huh? I mean…diapers times three, bottles times three, attention times three… Lack of sleep not to mention, clothing to wash times three… Plus Mikey of course… "

Having watched her the whole time through, he growled when she giggled. "Shut up, 'Ro!"

"Oho," she joked with a wide grin. "Not to forget grumpy Logan times three, too!"

* * *

A few weeks later Jean stepped into the mansion with an exhausted look on her face and closed the door behind her. "Wow, someone had fun going shopping, huh?" Bobby asked her as he walked past with Kitty on his hand. "If I were you, I'd tell Logan to unpack all those bags." 

"Oh, yeah," Kitty nodded. "But before you do, I'll get a camera!"

Shaking her head, Jean made her way upstairs and entered her room where she saw Logan sitting on the bed with Michael next to him. She smiled happily and placed the bags on the ground; again satisfied how well her Christmas shopping had gone. "Hey," he greeted her and gave the dozen backs a cocked eyebrow. "I think it's not necessary to ask if ya found everythin' ya looked for, right, darlin'?" he asked and shook his head. "Keep an eye on the head, Mikey," he told his son next who held his sister on his arm and was feeding her, while he sat crossed legged on the bed. One baby laying on his right, the other on his left leg and his arms already began to feel numb due to the two bottles he had to hold the whole times through.

"It's always fascinating," Jean smiled in amusement and got rid of her black coat.

"What?" he asked a bit suspiciously.

"How you always feed two of them at once," she replied and sat down on the bed next to him after giving him and Michael a kiss on the cheek.

"Yeah, my arms think it's fascinatin', too," he grunted and sighed since the boy's still had half of the bottle to go.

"Want me to hold one of them?" she offered but he shook his head.

"But holding a bottle would be fine, darlin'," he said instead and she took the left one into her hand.

"I assume they are eating well?" she asked after a moment since the room was still filled with sucking noises for a while.

"Yeah, like gluttons," Logan replied and gave the boy next to him a look. "Right, Mikey?"

"Yeah," this one nodded and Jean smiled.

Looking at her children, she leant her head against Logan's shoulder. "If you look at Jaden now you wouldn't believe that he was the smallest of him, don't you think?"

Giving the drinking boy on his right leg a look, he nodded. "He grew pretty fast. By the way," he said and looked at her. "Do ya think the boy's are identical twins? They look pretty much the same to me."

"Hank wasn't so sure because Jenny was covered by them. But he said it was possible that they were polyzygotic," she replied while looking at Jake.

"Polywhat?" he asked and she giggled.

"It means that the boys are from one egg, meaning that they are identical twins, while Jenny is the fraternal baby from another egg," she explained and couldn't hide her smile when she noticed his furrowed brows. She knew he wasn't one for biology but the nod told her that he understood it. Nevertheless, Jean got confused about his sudden smirk. "What?"

"And that would mean it wasn't me who took a good shot, but ya who decided to put forward more eggs than necessary," he smirked self-assured and she gave him a raised eyebrow.

"Don't get your hopes up too much, Logan," she gave back. "That was another example for male logic…" She shook her head. "Besides it's your cells that are hyperactive, not mine!"

"Uhu," Logan nodded and cocked an eyebrow at her. "I have the results of your none-hyperactive cells on my legs, gorgeous!"

"Mommy," Michael suddenly said and Jean bent forward a bit to have a better look at him. "What does taking a good shot mean?"

Blushing since she had forgotten about her son listening in, the redhead gave her husband a look through widened eyes, while the boy looked to and fro between his parents. "Well…," she stuttered and closed her mouth again since she didn't know what to say.

"It means that it's all your mommy's fault," Logan simply told the boy , who nodded. "And that she can't blame your daddy for not getting' enough sleep at night," he added with a smirk and received a glare from the woman next to him.

"Or it means that your daddy likes to talk himself out of some things that are partly his fault," Jean corrected and put the now empty bottle away. "Right, hon?"

"How was the meetin' before ya decided to buy the whole shoppin' mall?" Logan asked.

"And your daddy likes to change uncomfortable topics, too," she added while Michael could only look to and fro between them.

"I didn't!" her husband complained. "I asked out of interest."

"Male logic, Logan. That's all male logic, if there even is logic when it comes to guys."

"Ey, just for ya to remember, darlin', but you're outnumbered here, okay?" he said with a look. "It's Mikey'n me and the two ankle biters here against ya and Jen, so what do ya want anyway?"

"Says my husband the macho," Jean nodded. "The meeting was okay but boring."

"Well, ya could have said somethin' mentally," he smirked and wobbled his eyebrows.

"The last time I did, Logan, it was quiet embarrassing for me," Jean gave back with a look and got up with Jake on her arm. "Time for bed, what do you think, sweety?" she asked and kissed the boy lovingly.

"And then she says that I change uncomfortable subjects," Logan said to Michael and shook his head, before he, too, got up with Jaden on his arm. "Ya can carry Jen but watch the head, okay? Think ya can do that, pumkin?" Trying it, Michael pulled his sister carefully up and smiled proudly at his father when he managed to do so. "Good boy," this one smirked and beckoned him to follow him to the additional room.

After all children laid in bed and Jean had taken a long shower, she left the bathroom and came over to the bed, where Logan already laid in and turned some pages in a book without looking up. "Since when do ya read kid books?" he asked after she finally laid under the covers and held up book seven of Harry Potter.

"It's not really a book for kids, Logan," she lectured him and put it back onto the nightstand. "You should read them, too, you know. They are pretty good." Seeing how he cocked an eyebrow at her, she sighed. "I know that you already read nearly every book of our library in secret, Logan. And…," she added with a knowing smile. "I am pretty sure I saw Shakespeare lying underneath your pillow last week…"

"Spy!" he growled and reached out to pull her close when he suddenly stopped and frowned.

"What?" Jean asked a bit confused and noticed the suspicious look in his eyes. He suddenly chuckled. "What?!" Jean asked again and sat up a bit.

"You're not really up to somethin', eh?" he asked knowingly and with a smirk on his lips.

"Why?" she demanded to know innocently.

"Because you're naked, darlin'?" Logan asked and wobbled his head.

Raising one eyebrow, she shrugged. "And?"

Smirking, Logan rolled over so that he was lying on his side. "You're usually not," he remarked.

"You're naked, too," Jean gave back and he chuckled.

"I always am, darlin'."

"Not always," she gave back with a smile.

"But mostly," he defended himself playfully. Smirking at her for a moment while his right hand stroked over her waist, he switched his gaze back to her eyes. "So, what did ya plan?"

"Nothing," Jean shrugged and he nodded playfully again.

"Ya know… Ya can't fool my node, Jeannie," Logan replied and noticed how she slowly began to raise an eyebrow.

"And what is that supposed to mean now?" she demanded to know while she supported her head on one arm. "I just showered."

Rolling over once more so that he now laid half on top of her, Logan began to stroke down the side of her neck with slow circles. Watching him while he did so, she felt how his fingers traced lightly over her collarbone and breast to her waist. "Ya don't want me to say it out loud," he mumbled after a moment in a husky voice that sent shivers down her spine. Noticing her blush, he stroked over her waist and looked at her. "Ya sure about this?" he asked a bit concerned. "The kids were just born…"

"That's nearly four months ago, Logan," Jean replied with a slight roll of her eyes. "The only thing I am not sure about is the room… They are right next to ours."

"We could use my old one," he suggested. "I can hear if somethin's wrong with them…"

Beginning to think about it briefly, she sighed. "Are they already asleep?" Concentrating on them, Logan nodded after a moment and felt how she wrapped her arms around his neck with a happy smile, before she closed the door to their children's room mentally. "Then I suggest we have to be quiet," Jean mumbled between two kisses and heard him sighing playfully.

"That's gonna be hard," he smirked and wobbled his head a bit. Only nodding, the redhead pulled him back into a passionate kiss in which they got lost soon …

**That's it for today. It's if I am not mistaken the longest chapter so far. ****Thanks to all reviewers and I apologize in advance for typing errors. My glasses get repaired today and I typed this chapter without wearing my contacts. LOL Please review, oh and you should read WolverineKills Story!! See ya!**


	23. Chapter 23

**Author's note:** This chapter contains my pre-written chapter 31.

**Also those who are not members can review. Please do that!! ; )**It's important for the author to know what you guys think and to us it's weird if up to 100+ read the story, but only 4 people take the time and review. It's even enough if you guys just write good or bad, so please take your time with it, okay?

**Don't forget, ya ain't alone, darlin' **

A few months later Logan laid on the ground with the triplet on a blanket and was watching over them, while Michael and Jean still had classes. Being occupied with playing with them for a few hours now, he smirked as Jennifer's eyes grew wide as Jake tried to throw the wooden block and accidentally hit her leg with it. His head switched over to Jaden, who crawled on the ground and followed the little puppy Jean and he had gotten for Michael for Christmas, and he shook his head. The boy truly was a miracle to him. There was nothing left of the weak baby he had once been and by now he even was the more active one of the triplet. When the door behind him opened, Logan switched his attention towards it and frowned. Ororo was standing in the doorway and looked pale like a ghost, almost as if she was in some kind of deep shock. "Did somethin' happen?" he asked slightly panicked and got up to stop in front of her. She looked back at him but to him it rather appeared as if she was looking through him without even realizing that he was there. "'Ro?" he asked and grabbed her arms. "Did somethin' happen to Jean?"

"The Professor wants you to come down to his office…," she told him barely audible and like in some kind of trance.

"Did somethin' happen to Jean and Mikey?" he asked once more and noticed that the woman must have been crying. Seeing her like this and that she didn't clearly tell him what was wrong all of a sudden, made his heart clench painfully. What if really something had happened to his wife and son? What if Magneto had returned after not hearing anything at all from him for a while and had kidnapped them? He would have heard it, wouldn't he? "'Ro?" he asked once more with fear in his voice and had begun to breath more heavily. "What the hell happened?!"

"Just go down to his office," she replied and sat down on the blanket where she pulled her legs close and leant against the bed, while Logan had begun to run down the corridor. Looking at the children through the same odd eyes, the woman suddenly began to sob and covered her face with one hand. Jenny, who had stopped playing and looked at her aunt crawled curiously over to her to see what was wrong and made a noise to get her attention. "Oh sweety," Ororo cried and pulled the confused girl close to sob into her neck. "Why now?"

* * *

When Logan reached Charles' office, he became worried even more as he saw Hank and the younger X-Men sitting in front of it and staring at the ground. "What the hell happened, Furball?" he asked him and came closer.

"Charles wants you to look for yourself," the man replied without looking up and Logan gave the door a suspicious look. Whatever had happened wasn't good. He only hoped that it hadn't to do with his wife or son.

Reaching out he opened the door to the Professor's office and closed it after entering again. Besides that the office looked as always and that Charles gave him the same odd look as the others, he couldn't sense that something was wrong. There wasn't a crying Jean sitting on the sofa, no Michael with beams shooting from his eyes… He couldn't tell why everyone was so messed up… "What's wrong, Chuck?" he asked him and came a bit closer just to stop dead in the tracks. Sniffing the air once more, he picked up on the same scent as before and his face became pale. Not knowing what else to do Logan slowly approached the chair in front of the Professor's desk and felt his heart nearly bursting through his chest. Exchanging a look with Charles, who looked away as their eyes met, he cocked an eyebrow and made one more step to look at the person in front of the desk. "No…," was all he could say as reality hit him and his legs automatically made a step backwards…

* * *

A bit later Jean walked upstairs after her classes and opened the door to the room she shared with Logan. Smiling, since he was sitting next to Ororo on the blanket and had the triplet and Michael in front of him, she put her papers away and went over to kiss him and her children. "I'm sorry it took me a bit longer," she apologized as her smile suddenly faded. "Is something wrong?" she asked after noticing the looks the two grown ups gave her.

Exchanging a look with Ororo, who only nodded at him, Logan got up and took Jean's hand. "Come with me," he told her in a strange voice that scared the redhead only more and she hardly had time to notice that her best friend must have been crying, as she already was on the corridor and on her way to the staircase.

"Logan what's wrong?" she Jean asked him.

"Just follow me," was all she received as an answer and thought her heart would burst through her chest. Not only behaved he completely not like himself, also the way he talked was not like him at all. She could tell that something bad must have happened and prayed that it hadn't had anything to do with them.

"Please tell what happened!" the redhead demanded and tried to make him stop but it was useless. "Logan!"

Stopping in front of Charles office, he let go of her hand and kept his eyes fixed on the ground. "See for yourself," he told her in barely more than a whisper and buried his hands in his pockets.

Even if she tried to read his eyes, she couldn't. He kept them hidden from hers and it made her feel even more scared. "Logan…," Jean pleaded barely audible and felt how tears already gathered in her eyes due to her fear, but he only nodded at the door and still refused to look at her. Turning towards it, she opened it with a shaky hand and he watched from the corner of his eyes how it went slowly shut behind her. Staring at it Logan waited and counted backwards within his head. It didn't take long and he heard her letting out a scream…

**Number 2 for today done. It's short on purpose. ; ) I hope I can finish the story before I fly to the States. (Did I mention that I hate flying??). Actually I wanted to have finished Changes until Augu****st but I couldn't make it. : ( I hope you guys still enjoy reading this story. Please review and let me know!!****flying??). Actually I wanted to have fly to the States. of his eyes how it went slowly shut behind he**


	24. Chapter 24

**Author's note:** This chapter contains my pre-written chapter 32.

**Also those who are not members can review. Please do that!! ; )**It's important for the author to know what you guys think and to us it's weird if up to 100+ read the story, but only 4 people take the time and review. It's even enough if you guys just write good or bad, so please take your time with it, okay?

**Don't forget, ya ain't alone, darlin' **

Later, Logan, Ororo and the Professor waited in front of the infirmary. The first leant with his arms crossed against the wall and glared daggers at Scott, who stood opposite of him and shot him the same look back. Ororo still cried silently, tried to look at the man with the red glasses for longer than a few seconds but couldn't endure it. "I still don't understand," she whispered and shook her head with another look at Scott. "We've looked for you…but couldn't find you," she went on and stopped briefly as she realized something. "We've buried you…" Hearing it, Scott looked away as Hank came out of the door with a chart in his hands and his glasses on his broad, catlike nose.

Seeing him, Logan instantly walked over to him at the same time with Scott. "How is she?" both men asked at the same time and gave each other a glare, in Logan's case added with a low growl, next.

Feeling the tension that was building up constantly, Hank uttered a sigh and pulled the glasses down. "I gave her sedatives. She is sleeping now."

"I want to see her," Scott said and put his hands to his hip.

"No, ya stay away from her, bub!" Logan growled and crossed his arms.

Turning to face him Scott gave him an angry look. "You can't make me!"

"Actually…," Hank intervened and both men looked at him. "…he can. Logan's Jean's partner."

"Scott," Charles said in a soothing voice. "I think it would be the best if you stayed away from Jean until she understood what just happened," he suggested and saw how the man's arms slowly dropped loosely to his sides, just to hear him letting out a short laugh that was accompanied by a shake of his head.

"Watch over the kids, will ya?" Logan asked Ororo, who had watched them in silence and received a weak nod from her before he went into the infirmary to look after his wife.

Staring at the door for a while, Scott finally buried his hands in his pockets and gave her and the Professor a look. "Can I at least see my child?" he asked and tried to hide his upcoming anger.

"Scott…," she began and looked for the right words. She could sense that he was on the edge of his patience. "Michael doesn't know you."

"Michael?!" he asked and his jaw dropped slightly.

"Yes… Why?" Ororo asked him in confusion. "What's wrong with it?"

Giving a short snort he heaved a very deep breath. "I told her I like Connor…," Scott said through clenched teeth. "He's still my son!"

"Scott, it is not that easy," the Professor sighed and ran a hand over his head.

"Why?" the man asked in return and crossed his arms in front of his chest. "Jean must have told him about his father…"

"Logan is Mikey's father," Ororo mumbled and didn't have to look up to see that Scott was staring at her in shock and disbelief.

"What?!"

"It's true," Charles confirmed. "Logan has officially adopted Michael as his son. He is his legal father…"

Having trouble to let the news sink in Scott didn't move for minutes and had his eyes fixed onto the ground. When he finally raised his head again, he shook it in denial. "It's not that easy!" he protested. "That bastard can't just sign some papers and do it. They'd at least to be…"

"Scott, Jean and Logan are married," Ororo cut him off with a nod and looked away when his head switched towards her. She heard him giving a brief laugh after a moment before he just turned around and left. About to follow him, Charles stopped her.

"Leave him alone, Ororo," he said and shook his head with a concerned look in his eyes. "It's too much bad news at once for him to cope with…"

Inside the infirmary Logan sat next to Jean's bed and stroked absently over her hand, which he held in his. He wasn't aware of Hank writing something down on the chart or that the man gave him looks from time to time. He, too, had trouble to adjust to the new situation and his mind already began to tell him that his luck was over. Sighing, Hank put the chart away. "I'm sorry…"

Only shaking his head Logan waved off. "I knew it…"

"What?" his opposite asked in confusion. "That Scott was alive?" Logan only nodded and kept his eyes fixed on his wife. "How?"

"I never believe that someone's dead if I haven't seen a body," Logan mumbled. "I had a feelin'…"

"Good senses…," Hank nodded and looked at the redhead and then back at his friend. "What will you do now?"

Thinking about it Logan gave a shrug; not bothering to look up. "It's up to her…," was all he said.

**I know it's short but the next one will be longer. ; ) Thanks to all reviewers!!!**


	25. Chapter 25

**Author's note:** This chapter contains my pre-written chapter 33.

**Also those who are not members can review. Please do that!! ; )**It's important for the author to know what you guys think and to us it's weird if up to 100+ read the story, but only 4 people take the time and review. It's even enough if you guys just write good or bad, so please take your time with it, okay?

**Thanks to all reviewers!!! My eyes were like this OO when I checked my mails during lunch. LOL You guys are great: )**

**Don't forget, ya ain't alone, darlin' **

After a breakfast in utter silence and without Scott taking part in it Logan and Jean went upstairs where they put the triplet onto the ground so that they could crawl around and watched how Michael went over to his dog to play with him. "Daddy?" he asked and Logan turned his head towards the boy. "Can I go downstairs to play with him in the garden?"

"Sure, but put a warm jacket on, okay?" this one replied. "And let one of the others know that you're on the outside!" he added when the boy stormed over to his room to get dressed. Logan waited for him and the dog to be gone before he turned towards his wife again. He could say for the first time in his life, at least as far as he could remember, that he felt hurt. Since Scott had reappeared all of a sudden Jean hardly spoke to him or even looked at him for longer than a few seconds. He was determined to change it since he refused to accept that everything he had worked on so hard was just going to hell because of her ex. Walking over to where she stood at the window he reached out to touch her shoulder, but Jean evaded his touch and turned away. "It can't go on like this, Jean," Logan sighed and didn't bother to hide that he was clearly angered by now. If he could he would smash Scott to pieces…

"I know…," she said with a deep sigh and ran both hands through her face. Still, she didn't look happy at all and seeing her like this was pure torture for him. He didn't know how to act around her anymore.

"I know that it is a great shock for ya," he said and shook his head weakly. "But I ain't willin' to let him destroy what we have…" Looking at her from aside while she still stared out of the window he waited for an answer.

Jean watched Scott, who walked through the snow in the garden and gasped briefly as she saw that Michael had just reached the grounds, too. Tearing her eyes away from them she gave Logan, who waited for a reply next to her with crossed arms in silence, a look. "I want to move into your old room…"

Staring at her in disbelief as if she had just turned into a naked Magneto that had proclaimed his eternal love to him Logan's jaw dropped slightly. "What?!" he asked in an almost high pitched voice and ignored the fact that his heart had made a jump. "That dick's back and ya leave me?!"

"No!" she said immediately and shook her head for emphasis.

"Then what?!" Logan demanded to know and tried to keep his voice calm since the triplet had looked up.

"I just have to clear my head for some time," Jean tried to explain but saw that he wasn't convinced at all. "Everything is just too much for me right now. I need some time for myself to work things out… I only need to be alone for a while."

"If ya wanna go back to him say it now," Logan grunted and had his arms still crossed in front of his chest. "Coz I ain't in for any surprises, Jean. So say it now and I let ya go…"

Staring at him in shock and surprise she bit her lip for a second but shook her head. Reaching out she touched his cheek. "I really need to be alone to think only, Logan… That's all." Waiting for his reply, she heard him uttering a sigh before he looked down and finally gave a nod. "Thank you," Jean said barely audible and leant in to give him a brief kiss. She then went over to pack some of her things into a bag.

After she had left, Logan sat down on the bed and ran both hands through his face and hair. Wolverine within his head kept on nagging at him to stop her from leaving and make her come back to where she belonged. But he refused to give in to his primal instincts. He knew if Jean chose Scott over him in the end than there was nothing he could do about it anyway. All he knew was that if that was the case he would leave. He definitely wouldn't stay at the mansion just to watch her with Scott again like he had to in the past. Turning his head as someone touched his leg he tried to give his daughter a weak smile and pulled her up and onto his lap. Kissing her head his eyes stared through everything he saw. If Jean left him, what would he do about his children? He knew he couldn't raise all three of them alone in Canada. He had no means to do so. On the other hand he wouldn't leave them for anything in the world. And he would rather go to hell than let Scott raise his children. Hearing a weak knock on the door Logan turned his head and saw that it was Ororo.

"Hey, is Jean here?" she asked and smiled at Jaden, who crawled over to her.

"No," Logan replied and put Jennifer back onto the ground.

"Do you know where she is then? I need to talk with her about some students."

"She's in my old room."

Hearing it, the weather goddess furrowed her brows and closed the door behind her. "What do you mean with she's back in your old room?" she asked and noticed how unhappy he looked. "Don't tell me she left you!"

"No," Logan shook his head. "She said she needs some time to think… But still I ain't quiet sure about how that will turn out though…"

* * *

On the outside Scott still stood in front of a tombstone; his hands buried deep in his pockets and a cynical smirk visible on his lips. _His _tombstone to be more precisely. Staring at it for minutes he snorted scornfully and shook his head, which he turned to look at something else than his own grave. It's been more than 6 years, he thought, since his life had changed drastically. If he hadn't gone onto that mission back then, if he had seen Juggernaut coming and had reacted faster… Then it would be him who was married to Jean now, he who had raised his child and they would still be happy. Maybe had another child or two… His eyes stopped as he saw a small boy and a dog near the pond and his heart kicked into high gear. He knew instantly that it was his son, his little boy who was joking around with the black Labrador retriever that still seemed to be a pup. Feeling how his heart clenched painfully by the thought of what he had missed with his child, he noticed that something was wrong all of a sudden. Scott walked over to where Michael stood and realized what had happened. The ball with which the boy had been playing was on the upper part of the pond, which was too high for the nearly six year old boy to reach. Wordlessly he got the ball and handed it over to him. "Here," he said with a weak and nervous smile and wondered if his heartbeat was audible to the boy. It had never raced and pounded that strongly before…

"Thanks," the boy muttered and stared at the man with the strange looking glasses in front of him that he knew from the photo album his mother had once shown him.

Not knowing what he could possibly say, Scott nodded at the dog. "What's his name?" he asked and knelt down to stroke over the animal's head.

"Duke," Michael replied and was still watching him. "Daddy and mommy got him for me for Christmas," he added proudly and didn't saw that the man swallowed hard. He kept on looking at the man that was a complete stranger for him for a while, but dared to ask the question he'd wanted to ask since he had seen the man. "You're my father, aren't you?"

Scott's head moved with a jerk and his eyes had widened under his glasses while his jaw dropped. How could the boy possibly know? he asked himself and wanted to say something but no word left his mouth.

"Did your mommy tell you?" he finally managed to say and was once more surprised when Michael shook his head.

The boy looked at the blue ball he kept on turning in his small hands and that was the center of interest of his dog. "Daddy told me," he explained. "He told me that my father had an accident and was now an angel."

Furrowing his brows Scott thought that he had seen a movement from the corner of his eyes and saw Logan standing at the window. The demeanor of the man, meaning arms crossed and eyes narrowed, spoke volumes. He wasn't happy at all to see him with the boy and Scott knew that Logan was able to pick up on everything he and his son said. Still he wouldn't lie. "Yeah, it's true. I am your father…"

"But…," Michael replied and tilted his head a bit. "Where are your wings then?"

The man smiled. "You know…," he began and looked for the right words. "Your mommy and the others thought that I was an angel because I had an accident. I wasn't feeling well for some time and had to sleep for a long time. That's why they thought I was an angel," he tried to explain and received a nod from the boy, who was still occupied with the ball in his hands. "I wish I'd been there for you and mommy…"

"My daddy was," Michael replied and couldn't feel the sharp stitch within Scott's heart at that remark.

Only able to nod, this one looked up at the window again but Logan was gone. "Your daddy…," he began and turned his attention back to the boy, who looked at him for real for the first time. _He's so much like me…_, Scott thought sadly as he noticed that the boy had inherited his eyes and hair. "…is he good to your mommy and you?"

"My daddy's the best in the whole world," Michael gave back in a tone that gave Scott the impression that he had expected him to know that. Smiling sadly the grown up looked down.

* * *

A few days later he walked through the corridors of the mansion. Since he was back he was stuck in his personal hell. Everyone around him acted weird, didn't look longer at him for a few seconds and if he started a conversation he had the impression that the others tried to end it as quick as possible. He also hadn't seen Jean for days and Logan did his best to just ignore him. When he walked past the rec-room he heard Ororo laughing and came closer to see what was going on. He watched her sitting on a blanket, surrounded by toys and books and three children. He guessed that they were one year old or younger. "Hey…," he greeted her and hoped that she wouldn't turn him down as quickly as Bobby had done on the day before.

"Hey," she said back and he was relieved to see her smiling.

He ignored the fact that he figured out it was a forced one and entered the room. His hands were buried in his pockets and he looked at the children more closely. "Did you guys have nothing to do while I was gone?" he asked jokingly and hoped she would relax under his presence a bit more.

Not knowing what to say she shrugged. "No,…not really…," Ororo replied and smiled as Jaden uttered a cry of joy just because he had managed to hit his sister with a ball. "Sweety, it was just a ball," she tried to soothe the girl, who had been about to start crying. "It can't have hurt." Having watched the whole scene Scott still tried to figure out who the parents of those children were. The boys had thick dark, nearly black hair while the girl's looked rather blonde to him. If he had to guess he would think that Peter and Warren had become fathers, but imagining the two boys with babies was too ridiculous in the end. "How are you doing?" he heard Ororo asking and awoke from his daydream.

"Pulling through," he shrugged. "You?"

"Fine actually," she said and kept her eyes low.

"Would you stop this please?" he pleaded and she gave him a surprised look.

"What?"

"Acting as if I was air or some kind of stranger that no one dares to look at because you could drop dead if you did so?" he said and shook his head. "It hurts, you know?"

"Well what do you expect us to do?" she replied. "You were gone for over six years, we thought you were dead and buried you and then you suddenly reappear. It's a shock, Scott. And shock is the biggest understatement possible!"

"Right, it's my fault, I get it!" he snapped and got up. "I'm sorry for still being alive!"

"No one said this!" Ororo gave back. "But think about us, too. We mourned your death, we blamed ourselves for it and then you are back. It's hard to get used to it. I nearly always get a heart attack when you walk through the door because it still seems to be so unreal that you are still alive…" She shook her head. "I don't mean being rude but give me and the others some time to adjust to you being back…"

"I'm sorry, it's just…," he sighed. "All I wanted was to come back home after waking up from that coma and regaining my memories and all that has happened up to now is me feeling hurt. Jean is married to Logan, Logan is the father of my child, my child doesn't know me… Do you know what that feels like?"

"I know it's hard. But you can't expect that Jean…"

"That she what? That she stays alone for the rest of her life?" he snapped. "I would have accepted any man on her side, 'Ro, and you know that but not him! _Never_ him!"

"Why not?" she asked and got up to face him. "Do you know how much Logan has helped Jean? Do you know how devastated she was after your death? She nearly lost her baby, your son, after getting to know about another mission we went on shortly after we lost you and thanks to Logan reacting so fast your son is still alive. He had helped and supported her so much during her pregnancy and afterwards…"

"Yeah, to get her laid," Scott hissed.

"That's not true, Scott!" Ororo shot back. "It's what Hank and I thought about him, too, but Logan has proven that he really cares for Jean and your son. And if you thought about it without being influenced by your feelings of hate, you would be grateful."

"Grateful for what?" he asked back and crossed his arms in front of his chest. "Grateful for him stealing away my family?"

"Logan didn't _steal_ Jean!" she snapped. "It was her own free will to start a relationship with Logan. What I meant was that you should be grateful for Logan accepting _your _son, Scott! Because from the way you just reacted I assume that you would have never accepted Logan's child if the whole situation had been vice versa."

"What do you mean?!" he asked her angrily.

"I mean that Logan took care of Michael despite his hate for you. He accepted the child of another man, raised him and loves him as if Michael was his own. He never said _It's Scott's so to hell with it_. A thing you obviously would have done," Ororo said through clenched teeth. "Logan did it without being asked to do so and he helped Jean through the hardest time of her life without asking for anything in return, so how dare you thinking so low of him?! He acted as the father, without him Michael would have spent his first years with one parent only. Logan didn't have to do it. He could have ignored your son but he didn't and even adopted him, so that he could take care of him if something happened to Jean! Think about what you say, Scott!" With that she turned around to lie back down on the blanket; anger clearly written on her face.

Not knowing what to say and feeling rather furious than anything else, Scott nodded at the children. "Whose are them?"

"What do you think?" Ororo snapped.

"Well enlighten me!" he shrugged. "Looks like Peter's and Warren's kids if you ask me…"

"Don't be ridiculous!" she said and shot him a glare. "The triplet is Jean's and Logan's of course." Having said this she turned her attention back to the three children and left Scott to deal with the next big shock.

A bit later he knocked on Logan's old room door. It didn't take long and Jean opened it; clearly shocked to see him standing in front of it. Ignoring this fact as good as he could, he heaved a deep breath. "Hey, can we talk?" Receiving a silent nod from her Scott entered the room and heard her closing the door behind him again. He watched how Jean walked past him and behind the bed to bring space between them. It was obvious that she didn't feel comfortable with him being here since she had her arms wrapped around herself. A sign, as he still knew, that told everyone she was either feeling nervous or scared. "I've talked with Michael," Scott began and instantly Jean looked up with widened eyes. "Did you know that Logan told him I was his father?" he asked but she shook her head. Nodding in response he felt how an uncomfortable silence filled the room next. Neither he nor she knew what to say.

Remaining where she was, Jean kept her eyes on the ground. She still couldn't bear looking at him. "How are you doing?" she finally managed to say and he gave a short snort.

"What do you think?" he asked her a bit too angrily and crossed his arms.

"Scott…," she sighed but he cut her off.

"Jean, why did you do this?!" Scott demanded to know and she didn't have to ask what he was talking about.

"You were dead!" Jean replied and shook her head. "They looked for you and couldn't find you."

"And then you just throw yourself at Logan?" he asked cynically.

"That's not true!" she tried to soothe him. "Logan has helped me and has been there for me."

"Well of course he has," Scott laughed. "Now he finally has what he's always wanted..."

She shook her head. "It's not like that."

"No?" he asked with anger clearly audible in his voice. "So you did it voluntarily then?" He watched her running both hands through her face with a sigh. "How long did it take him to get you into his bed, hm?" he asked even if he didn't come to hurt her. But by now he was too frustrated and angry to be able to stop himself.

"Would you cut it off?" Jean asked as he suddenly came around the bed and grabbed her arms. About to pull away she noticed that he was crying.

"Do you know what this is doing to me?!" Scott asked through clenched teeth and made her look down. He cupped her face to force her to look into his eyes again while he admitted how he truly felt. "After waking up and remembering everything all I'd wanted was to see you and our child again, Jean! And then I come back and you're not only living with him, you're married to him, my son calls him daddy and doesn't even know me and then you've three more children with him and everyone tells me to keep away from you, that I have no rights anymore. No one asks or can understand what this is doing to me!" he said and swallowed hard, not caring that he was crying openly. "Do you possibly understand what _this _feels like?! I wish I was dead for real or would have never regained my memory or woken up than seeing you with _him_!"

Biting her lip and crying, too, Jean heaved a deep breath. "I am sorry…," was all she could manage to say.

"Do you have no feelings at all for me anymore?" Scott said despairingly.

"I have," she replied. "And that's the problem."

"Then leave him!" he pleaded and stroked over her cheeks. "Come back to me…"

But Jean shook her head. "I can't…"

"Why not?!"

"I am married, Scott. Logan and I have a family. I would never do this to him," she said and felt how her heart began to ache. She couldn't stand seeing him in so much pain. "And I love him…"

"More than me?" he asked and Jean looked down.

"I'm still too confused…," she mumbled and he nodded.

"So you don't…," Scott whispered. Before she was able to say something he'd pulled her into a despairing and passionate kiss that expressed how much he still loved her.

When Jean broke it to fill her lungs with fresh air again, she froze on the spot and her eyes grew wide. "Logan…," she gasped as she became aware of her husband who stood with a shocked Ororo next to him in the door to the room. Her heart began to race with fear. She didn't have to read his mind to figure that Logan was fuming; the hate and fury was too visible in his eyes and demeanor. Realizing that she was still in Scott's arms she quickly let go of him. "Logan, I…," Jean began in a desperate attempt to explain what couldn't be explained, but all he did was to shake his head and leave. "Please wait!" she called after him and heard from afar how he slammed a door shut with a force that sent it out its hinges. Realizing what she had just done, the redhead ran both hands through her face.

"Charles has just picked up on Magneto. He's about to attack the city so get ready," Ororo told them in a chilly voice that mirrored her disgust and disappointment in them. Especially in her... When Jean looked up again her best friend had left, too…

**We're close to the end I think. I still have some scenes pre-written but I think that it will be three more chapters or so. But you know me. LOL Sometimes a new idea just sneaks into my head and then it'll be more. ; ) I hope you guys liked this chapter here. Please review!!****Oh and: ****I did the beta of this chapter this time. Would you be so nice and let me know if there are still so many mistakes in it? You can also mail me, my email is visible here. ****To those who don't know:**** English isn't my mother tongue. I'm German. ; ) See ya!! **


	26. Chapter 26

**Author's note:** This chapter contains my pre-written chapter 34.

**Also those who are not members can review. Please do that!! ; )**It's important for the author to know what you guys think and to us it's weird if up to 100+ read the story, but only 4 people take the time and review. It's even enough if you guys just write good or bad, so please take your time with it, okay?

**Don't forget, ya ain't alone, darlin' **

After a briefing and deciding to head for New York to stop the Brotherhood's attack, Logan left the changing stall and was occupied with pulling the black leather gloves on while he walked down the corridor towards the hangar. He was pissed, pissed was even the biggest understatement that could be made about his current mood. It had a reason that his (Spind) hat three long gashes on it now. He had seen it coming. He'd known that he would open the door to his old room just to see his wife kissing her ex. Of course he should have seen this coming. What had made him believe that she would stay with an animal like him if she could have a decent man like her beloved Scooterboy? Why has he even tried to fit into a normal family, to be a good father and husband if she ran back to her ex as soon as she had the chance to anyway? He knew why he never wanted to fit in, why he never had long lasting relationships. He only got hurt in the end anyway. "Logan!" he heard her calling from somewhere behind him but didn't even think about stopping. "Please wait!" she tried again and fell into his step but he just ignored her. Ignored the look in her eyes that told him how sorry she was, ignored that her hand had grabbed his upper arm and tried to make him stop…just ignored the fact that she even existed. "I'm sorry!" Jean said once more. "It's a misunderstanding!"

Snorting, he cocked an eyebrow but didn't look at her. Instead he pulled the zipper on both arms up in a way as if he wanted to tear them off. "Is it?" he grunted arrogantly and pulled the arm she had her hand on roughly away.

Making two more steps than he did she suddenly stood in front of him to stop him. "Listen to me…," she pleaded but he shoved her aside. "Logan, please!"

When Scott left the changing stall he heard her and stopped at the corner. Leaning against the wall with one shoulder he looked around it and watched how Jean obviously used her powers by now to stop Logan. He didn't need to have heightened senses to hear the low growl that escaped his teammate's throat or see the cold look in this one's eyes. It was more than obvious that he was about to snap and throw a tantrum.

"I didn't mean this to happen," Jean tried to explain herself and gave her husband a pleading look. She, too, noticed the cold look that Logan gave her. "Logan, please…," she added and reached out to touch his hand but he backed off, crossed his arms and glared at her.

"I told ya if ya wanna go back to him then go!" he hissed.

"I don't want to go back to Scott!" she said and shook her head.

"Oh really?!" Logan asked cynically and smirked darkly, but it vanished soon and was replaced by a look that scared her. "Don't play games with me, Red. I warn ya!" With that he walked past her without looking at her one more time. "And get outta the uniform," he added coldly. "Ya stay here with the kids and that's an order!"

Watching him walking down the corridor Jean didn't notice how her view became more and more blurred with tears. She had screwed up, she knew that. There was no way she could possibly explain what had happened in his old room; she couldn't even understand it herself. Covering her face with one hand she sobbed and leant back against the wall where she glided down until she sat on the ground. Thinking about the consequences her actions would probably have Jean began to sob bitterly and pulled her legs close. If she lost him, and she knew she would since if he hated something then it was adultery, than she didn't know what to do. She had been happy with him, more than that. He had helped her so much and that was the way she thanked him: allowing her ex to kiss her. Why hadn't she noticed that Logan had been standing in the door? Why hadn't she picked up on him? He must have been boiling from within when he'd seen it… _No, he hasn't_, she reminded herself. _He'd looked hurt. _More than hurt… "Please go away," Jean sniffed without looking up and turned her head away.

"I'll talk to him," Scott said and got up after kneeling down next to her. "I know it's my fault. I'm sorry…" He met her eyes when she looked up but before he could say something else Jean got up, wiped her tears carelessly away with the back of her hand and headed down the corridor where she nearly bumped into Storm and Rogue.

"What happened?" the latter asked but the redhead was already gone. "Do you know what…," Rogue began and saw how Ororo glared daggers at Scott. Exchanging a look with Bobby, Peter and Kitty, she received shrugs and questioning looks only.

"Congrats, Scott," Ororo snapped in a cold voice. "I hope you are happy now!"

Rolling his eyes this one turned and walked towards the hangar. "Is something wrong?" Kitty asked concerned.

"No, come on, Logan's waiting," the weather goddess replied and led the way towards the hangar where she could already hear how Logan threw a tantrum. "Great…"

"Jeez, what has happened?" Bobby asked her. "I haven't heard Logan being that mad in years…"

"Well, Scott is back what else do you expect?" Kitty shrugged and received a look from her teacher for that remark. "It's true, isn't it?" she defended herself. "It was me who nearly got hit by the door Logan decided to smash to pieces, remember?"

"Shut your mouths, all of you!" Ororo demanded and ascended the stairs to the hatch of the Blackbird. She had barely set one food into the jet as Scott hit the wall next to her.

"I told ya to shut up!" Logan barked and heaved very deep breaths to contain his inner beast.

"I said I'm sorry!" Scott gave back. "I can't do more than that, can I?"

"I don't give a shit on it!" his opposite replied as the man got up from the ground. "Sit down and shut up!" Turning around Logan walked over to his seat at the front and glared at the panel in front of him.

Ororo, who gave the others a sign to sit down, joined him and started the engines of the jet. Within seconds the Blackbird rose into the air and they headed for New York in silence.

* * *

"Do you see something?" Storm whispered and waited for Logan to give a sign. She knew, even if he was some meters away, that he had heard her. Nevertheless he didn't give her any reply. "Logan?" she added a bit louder and furrowed her brows. If he was too pissed off to care about them or his position as the leader, then they'd be in for trouble.

"What is he doing now?" Iceman asked her and watched how Logan moved over to the opposite side of the street, constantly hiding behind parked cars, just to climb up a fire escape and disappear.

"Great…," Cyclops said and nodded his cynical appreciation. "Who's next in command since our leader chose to leave?"

Suddenly they heard a loud yell and saw something flying off the roof. This thing hit the ground and didn't move anymore, when another shadow jumped of it and was accompanied by a second one. They saw a mutant running towards them and already prepared for an attack as it was tackled from behind and hit the ground hard. The X-Men watched how Logan pulled the whimpering mutant into the ally and slammed him against the wall. "Where's Magneto?" he growled.

"Don't know…," the mutant called Morph stuttered and let out another whimper when Logan extracted his claws.

"Where…is Magneto?" the X-Men demanded to know once more and stopped his sharp claws only inches from the mutant's face. "Tell me or yer face loses its eyes next, bub!"

Staring at the shiny knives and quivering in fear, Morph swallowed and looked at his comrade who still lay on the ground. "D…down the street…," he said in a whiny voice. "Please don't kill me…"

"Piss off, kid!" Logan grunted and threw him down the ally. "And better hope I won't see ya again." He watched how Morph got quickly up and ran down the small corridor between both houses. He still picked up on the mutant's fear even if this one was long gong. "So he already lets kid's fight for him, eh?" he said disgustedly and looked around the corner. "I hear Mystique down the street. Probably on the right of it…"

"Can you smell someone else?" Cyclops asked and risked a look, too.

"Yeah," Logan replied cynically. "About 100 inhabitants of this street… Approximately 63 males, the rest are females. Wanna know the animals, too?"

"Funny, Logan!" Scott snapped as Ororo stepped between the two of them.

"What do you suggest?" she asked with a look at Logan.

"We split into two teams," this one replied. "Where's the Furball? I thought he wanted to meet us here?!"

"I don't know. He said he would come…," she shrugged.

"Tinman and Kitty go with ya, Rogue and Popsickle with me," he said and began to walk.

"What about me?" Cyclops asked and received a look that spoke volumes only. Watching how both groups split he decided to follow Storm. After Logan's sudden attack in the jet he thought it was better to stay out of the man's way. Together they walked down the street, hidden in the shadows of the night and avoiding any light at all costs. It didn't take long and they could hear Magneto speaking to his group. "Mystique's not with them," Scott whispered after checking the scene.

"Pyro is over there," Collossus said and pointed over to Magneto's right. "And Juggernaut is with them again, too."

"We have to be careful…," Ororo said and gave Scott a look who only nodded. He remembered too well the attack that had nearly cost him his life. "Logan just told me he has spotted Mystique. Obviously she is patrolling the alleys with some others."

"Can he take her out?" Kitty asked.

"Do you really have to ask?" Peter asked her with a look.

"Guys, be ready. We wait here until Logan gives us a sign to attack," Ororo said. "No one moves until he says so."

* * *

On the other side of the street, hidden in an alley, Logan of course had heard not only what Ororo and Magneto said, his main focus laid on Mystique. He knew the woman was approaching and that two others were with her. Right now they talked about the upcoming attack and that they needed to take care of the hostage. "Stay calm and don't act until I say so," he told Iceman and Rogue in a whisper. He waited for their nod before he turned his attention back onto the ally again. Slowly, as not to make a noise, Logan extracted one pair of claws and held them ready. They now turned around a corner. They were only few steps away…

"They will show up sooner or later…," Mystique said and led the group through the dark alley. "As soon as they get to know that we have this furry beast…they will squeeze into those stupid uniforms and come. It has always been like that."

"Storm," Logan said through his headset and pressed himself against the wall, giving his two teammates a sign to do the same. "They've Hank. Do you see him?" Waiting for her reply that told him they had just spotted him, he let go of the headset and prepared himself for an attack. "Bobby, ya attack the second after I took out Mystique, then you'll help Rogue with the third…"

"Got it," Iceman nodded and, even if he felt tensed like never before, he tried to concentrate on his work.

"Come on, as if you mind seeing the Wolverine dressed up in it," a female voice laughed. "Everyone knows you have a crush on him, Raven." There was a noise that told them Mystique had obviously landed a punch. "What? It's true, bitch. Everyone knows about it anyway."

"And if you go on like that it's one less person that knows!" Mystique said angrily. "So shut up!"

"Well, since the Wolverine is a daddy he seems to have become pretty soft anyway," a third, male, voice said scornfully. "He's a dog that can't bite. Isn't that so, Raven?"

"So we've been told," Mystique said and had reached the corner to the next alley.

"Then you've been told wrong, bitch!" Logan growled and before Mystique could act he had landed a hard punch into her face that sent her backwards against the wall.

"Attack!" the second of the Brotherhood mutants said as Iceman had sent a beam at him. About to act, he was frozen to the bones and the two X-Men attacked the third mutant, a woman, who was quicker and sent them to the ground. Since she was outnumbered, she turned and ran down the corridor, not reckoning with Logan talking her from behind. Panting, he let go of her and made sure that Bobby and Rogue were fine.

"Kid, are you alright?" he asked and received a nod. Still Iceman rubbed the back of his head with a hiss. "C'mon get up and move!" he ordered and led them down the alley until he knew they were right next to the Brotherhood. He watched how Magneto stood on top of some kind of metallic throne. Snorting about so much arrogance, Logan nodded at Storm, who had waved at him from the opposite of the street. From his position he had a good overview on the scene. Right next to Magneto were Pyro, who played with the device that allowed him to create fire, and Juggernaut. Both seemed to be more than bored. He quickly did a headcount on each of them. They were outnumbered but they could make it with a good plan. Thinking about it, Logan heard how Cyclops told them through the headset that they had spotted Hank on the right, guarded by a group of five. It didn't take long and he had spotted them. If he was lucky, Magneto wouldn't pick up on his adamantium for another five minutes. If not that he could reckon with a long flight through the city that would end painful for him. Logan knew they had to take the leader out first. Without him they wouldn't get confused and this gave them enough time to attack, distract and free Hank. "I want Cyke to shoot at Mag's helmet," Logan told the second group. "He need to make sure that he's taken out at once. We can't risk that he has the upper hand here."

"I have a good shot from here," Cyclops replied and worked on his visor. "Want me to take it now?"

"Wait!" Logan replied. "I want the Tinmen to change and attack him right afterwards. Knock him out, Iceman will deal with Pyro. I want the rest, except Storm to head for the Furball," he went on. "Storm ya know what to do."

"What does that mean?" Cyclops asked her.

"You'll see," she replied. "Ready, Logan…"

"Good," this one replied. "On three. One…two…"

He had barely said "three" as all hell broke lose. As soon as there was a red flash, Logan and the other began to run. From the corner of his eye he saw Magneto falling while Collossus attacked him and Storm flying in the air towards him. The Brotherhood was confused, Logan could see that. They didn't know what to do and who of them to attack first. Running straight towards Juggernaut, Logan jumped at his back and rammed one pair of claws at it. Crying out in fury and pain, the huge mutant underneath him tried to get a hold onto the X-Men. "Not a chance, bub," Logan said through clenched teeth. "Storm!"

Throwing a lightning bolt at her teammate's claws the woman watched how both got an electronic shock and felt to the ground. The impact Juggernaut's fall had to the street made the ground shake. From above them Ororo watched how Kitty phased through the ground with Hank and reappeared in the alley, while Iceman fought with Pyro and the rest took care of the other mutants. Their luck was on their side, she thought, since most of their adversaries were too young and got scared of the experience of real combat. From the corner of her eye Storm saw how Cyclops had knelt down next to Logan after dragging him away from mutants. This one shook his head, obviously to get rid of the stars he saw. "Logan watch out!" she yelled and both man turned their heads to see that a second Juggernaut suddenly appeared out of the alley in which Logan had knocked out Mystique.

Before both men could react the ground vibrated strongly and began to open quickly due to shockwaves that were sent by another mutant. Due to the impact the ground gave way and everything Logan could notice was that he was falling. His claws extracted in alarm and he desperately tried to catch his fast fall but there was nothing he could ram his claws into. Suddenly water splashed around him and he couldn't breathe. Soon he figured that he must have landed in some kind of underground lake or something similar to it and instantly began to swim to the surface. Reaching it, he filled his lungs with fresh air, or at least he'd hoped so. He could practically feel how his stomach began to make turns and wanted to get rid off the last meal he'd eaten, as his nose picked up on the horrible smell of his surroundings. As lucky as he was, he had to land in the sewer… And since fate was a bitch when it came to him, Scott had to be there, too. "Are you alright?" Cyclops asked aloud; making Logan think that the man was either deaf or dumb since he was right next to him and there was no reason at all to scream that loud. "Logan, are you alright?!" Scott asked even louder than before.

"No…," the addressed grunted and rolled his eyes while watching his teammate holding onto an edge.

"Why? What's wrong?" Cyclops asked concerned.

"You're here," Logan said cynically and swam over to him.

"Funny!" the other man snapped. "Where are you?"

"What are ya blind?!" he snapped and climbed onto the platform that was usually used by workers.

"Honestly said," Scott began and tried to get a better grip on the edge. "…yes, I am. I lost my visor…"

Logan turned his head to look at the man more closely and saw that this one had indeed lost the device that kept his powers at bay. "Pity," was all he had to say and looked for a way out. Again he was lucky: there was no way he could reach the surface. The attack had done its job…

"Logan?" Scott asked and sounded almost scared.

"What?!" this one snapped.

"Are you still there?"

"No, I'm sittin' in the mansion's garden…"

"Would you stop this?" Scott asked, sounding angered this time. "Would you mind helping me out of the water?"

Rolling his eyes, Logan crossed his arms. "Yeah, I would. But I don't wanna get my hands dirty…" Nevertheless, he went over, grabbed the back of the man's uniform and pulled him up, which earned him a yell that almost sounded painful. "What now?" Logan grunted and let him fall to the ground. "Did ya lose a hair?"

"No, I only think that I've broken my leg," Scott snapped and pushed himself up and into a sitting position. Gritting his teeth when a sharp pain jolted through his leg, he hissed. "Are we in the sewer?"

"How can ya tell?" Logan asked cynically. "I thought you'd feel at home here…"

"Fuck you, Logan!" he received as a reply for that remark and watch smirking how Scott tried to find a solid wall which would help him to get up on both feet.

"No, thanks. Ain't doin' men," he shot back. "Or better said…not jerks like you!"

Scott gave a snort and finally his hand touched a solid wall. "Was this an admission just now?" he asked and shifted his weight so that he hadn't had to move his broken leg.

"Fuck ya, Scooter!" Logan snapped and turned around to walk away alone.

"Hey! What about me?" he heard his teammate calling.

"Crawl your way outta here, I don't give a shit," he shot back. "Or if ya wanna do me a favor then drown yourself!"

"God, what does she see in an arrogant bastard like you?!" Scott barked back. "If I had thrown a tantrum like that every time I'd caught you flirting with her, I would have had a lot to do, don't you think? Grow up!" Cursing under his breath as his leg hurt again, he noticed that he couldn't hear Logan anymore. "Logan?" he asked and turned his head in search for his teammate with closed eyes. He wouldn't really leave him here all alone and incapable of seeing anything, would he? he thought, but couldn't stop his heart from beginning to race in fear. Being blind and vulnerable like this reminded him too much of the time before Xavier's when he had lived on the street and hadn't opened his eyes in months; too afraid of others to see what he really was and scared that he would hurt anyone else like he'd accidentally done before. He'd sworn after the Professor had saved him that he wouldn't live in the dark for another day in his life. And now here he was, stuck in a sewer with a broken leg and unable to open his eyes. And the only one who could save him now hated his guts and would rather see him dead than helping him. "Shit!" Scott cursed as he slipped and landed on the ground with a yell. Groaning in pain he'd stopped breathing for a moment. Just as the pain had faded he felt how something moved over his leg. "WAH!" he shrieked and, despite the pain, backed off against a wall, thinking that it was a rat.

"Would ya stop actin' like a girl?" Logan snapped and tried once more to steady the other man's wounded leg with two sticks he had found. "Yer worse than a…"

"You could have said something!" Scott complained. "I thought you were gone."

"Well, I'll be if you don't shut up!" his opposite replied and bound the sticks roughly together; earning another hiss from his teammate by doing so.

"Watch it!" this one said with an angry undertone and was pulled as roughly up as Logan acted the whole time through. "Do you also treat your children like this?!"

"Well, if they looked like you I sure as hell would throw them into the next river," Logan snapped and put Scott's arm around his neck and his around this one's waist to help him walk.

"Asshole!" was all Scott said.

"Prick!" Logan grunted in return.

Moving along the tunnel, both fuming like a volcano ready to explode, they remained silent. Scott, who had clearly trouble to keep up with Logan on one leg only, dug his fingers into this one's uniform and clenched his teeth. "Not so fast!"

"Hop faster!"

Having enough, Scott stopped and forced Logan to do the same with it. "I know you're pissed because I kissed Jean, Logan. I said I was sorry, so would you stop acting all assholish and be the team leader who is responsible for his comrades? If you can't then let someone else handle the job. I don't know what has gotten into the others anyway to chose you as my successor," he said and released the frustration that had built constantly within him in the past hours.

"Well, probably because of the same reasons Jean picked me," Logan gave back and began to walk again.

"God, is there anyone else on this planet who is as full of himself as you?" Cyclops asked him and began to hop once more, trying to keep up with him.

"Yes, you!" he heard Logan saying.

"What is that supposed to mean?" his teammate demanded to know. "I don't think I'm the best in anything I do."

"No?" Logan asked and chuckled. "Then think again."

"Enlighten me."

"Well it's you who think he's the perfect leader, the perfect husband and father," he said and turned around the corner. His nose has picked up on fresh air close by and he could already hear noises far above them. "You only see in people what ya wanna see in them and even if they prove otherwise, ya don't care. So, yeah, Summers…if I'm an arrogant bastard, you're, too!"

"I gave you a chance, Logan!" Scott snapped. "I offered you my hand when we first met and you just ignored it, so who thinks he's better?!"

"So we go on playin' Potter'n Malfoy, or what? It ain't me who ain't able to please his woman, pal, so shut your mouth!" Logan grunted and felt how his teammate wanted to stop, but he forced him to walk further.

"What is that supposed to mean now?" he demanded to know.

"That you're a tight assed prick to whom control matters only and who forgets about his girl's needs over it," Logan said and narrowed his eyes. "Too afraid to let go just for a second because he would have to give up control. Why did I go looking for sticks anyway? I could have used the one that ya carry around in your ass. Even a mayfly is more experienced than you."

Scott gave a scornful snort. "Says the man who probably has a kid in every city, hm?"

"Well at least I have kids," Logan shot back.

"Shut up!" Scott felt how they suddenly stopped. The curse Logan uttered told him that it couldn't mean anything good. "What now? What's wrong?"

"The only way out is blocked. It has a big hole in it but we can't reach it," Logan explained.

"So?"

Letting go of the man, Logan sat down on the ground and leant back against the wall. "So we have t'wait until they find us…"

"Great…," Scott cursed and turned his head. He could tell that Logan had sat down somewhere on his left. Reaching out he touched a wall and used it to steady himself before he sat down, too.

"Why do ya have to sit here?" Logan instantly snapped and moved away to bring enough space between them.

"Sorry, but I didn't see you," Cyclops apologized after nearly sitting down on the other man's lap. Crossing his arms he leant his head back against the wall and sighed. He only hoped the others would hurry…

* * *

When the jet's engines could finally be heard Logan raised his head with a dismal expression. Not only had it taken longer than he'd thought for the others to find them, meaning a few hours, it had also cooled down a lot and he was freezing and most importantly, he had also given up on pushing Scott's head off his shoulder. The man next to him had fallen asleep after a while and had obviously decided that Logan's left shoulder was the best place to sleep on. Now he was totally pissed, if his previous already bad mood could have become even worse, and had decided to strangle the first person that would cross his way. Growling when Scott moved and wrapped one arm half around him in his sleep, he thought about his idea to just drown his teammate in the sewer. It would be worth it…

"Logan?" Ororo's voice called from above.

"Down here!" he called back and looked up.

"Hold on, you'll be up here in a second."

"Yeah, and then you'll be dead," he grunted and looked aside. "Get up!" Logan snapped and just stood up; not caring that Scott hit the ground.

"What's wrong?" this one asked drowsily and groaned as a skull breaking headache kicked in.

"The others are here," came the grunted reply and he looked up, forgetting about the fact that he couldn't see anything anyway. "What is it now, sissy?" he asked and crossed his arms while he watched how Scott held his head lowered.

"I think I'm sick…," this one replied and leant back against the wall.

"If you'd said you're a stupid asshole then I'd have said yeah you are," Logan grunted but noticed the sweat on his teammate's face. Pulling off a glove he went over and knelt down in front of him. "You're feverish," he said after touching the man's cheek. "You're the biggest drama queen alive, do ya know that, Summers? Always have to be the center of attention…"

"Shut up, Logan!" Scott replied and wrapped both arms around himself as chills set in. "You have a healing factor, I don't."

"Yeah, but it doesn't save me from you, does it?" Logan asked nonchalantly and heard how the jet was hovering above the hole. It didn't take long and he could see that something was approaching in the dark. A few minutes later he held Scott in a secure grip and was pulled to the jet, where the others were already waiting.

**Jeez that chapter was really hard to write. I had the sewer scene written first and the beginning until the fight in the jet was pre-written before I started with the whole story, but I couldn't come up with anything for the middle part. Suddenly it worked. LOL Thanks to all reviewers! I think it will be one or two more chapters since I want to finish this story before I fly to the States for two months. Please review!!! See ya!**


	27. Chapter 27

**Author's note:** **Also those who are not members can review. Please do that!! ; ) **

**FantasyFreak4Life**: The Harry Potter remark was a reference to Chapter 22 in which Logan makes fun of Jean reading Harry Potter and she telling him he should read it too. Obviously he has. ; )

**Don't forget, ya ain't alone, darlin' **

For hours she stood at the window and looked out of it. Since the Professor had told her that the team was on its way back Jean was waiting for Logan to step into their room. She needed to talk to him. It had killed her to know that they had separated with a fight, which was her fault, and not to know if he had gotten injured or not during that mission. It would have definitely killed her if he had died and she hadn't had another chance to tell him how sorry she was and that he meant the world to her… Impatiently she turned once more to the clock at the wall and waited. But soon it was dark and she brought the children to bed just to pace next. She didn't understand what took them so long. Maybe they had been attacked on their way back? But if, then Charles would have told her, wouldn't he? Except Logan was injured and they didn't want her to worry until her husband was better… Sighing, the redhead ran both hands through her face and sat down on the bed; determined to stay awake and wait the whole night through if necessary…

When she opened her eyes again the sun was already shining through the thick curtains. A look at the clock told her that it was past 7 a.m. In a rush Jean turned around in bed to look at his side of the bed but it was empty. She felt how her heart began to race. Something was wrong; if not, he had been lying next to her, hadn't he? Getting up she walked over to the children's room to prepare them for breakfast. If Logan wasn't downstairs in the kitchen, she sure as hell would freak out. By now she was so worried that nothing and no one would stop her from finding out where he was… A few minutes later she reached the kitchen, carrying the two boys while Michael had some trouble to carry his sister – something his father usually did – and was surprised. "Hey…," Ororo greeted her and the other X-Men did the same. "You're already up? Wait let me help you." Getting up she took Jaden from her while Rogue had taken Jennifer from Michael. "Scott is still in the basement with Hank. Magneto took Hank hostage but thank God he wasn't injured by them too seriously," the weather goddess updated her while Jean prepared the bottles. "Scott was injured during the fight but we made it…" She took one bottle from her and began to feed the boy.

After handing another one over to Rogue and making sure that Michael was already eating, Jean began to feed Jake, too and looked at the door. "Where's Logan?" she asked and all eyes turned to her.

"What do you mean?" Ororo asked her in confusion.

"What I said," the redhead replied. "Where's he?"

Exchanging a look with the others, Ororo still frowned. "Jean,…"

"If he got hurt then tell me!" Jean said and almost sounded desperate.

"He came back with us," Bobby told her. "He helped Mr. Summers out of the sewer and was in perfect health the last time I saw him." Kitty and Peter nodded for emphasis.

Noticing the look on the redhead's face, Rogue gave Michael a brief look. "But…wasn't he upstairs with you?"

"No…," Jean replied and shook her head. "I waited the whole night for him and fell asleep. He hasn't been in our rooms. His side of the bed was untouched…"

"That's weird…," Ororo mumbled while watching how Jaden sucked on the bottle.

"Morning," Hank said and went over to a stool, followed by a limping Scott.

"And?" she asked him.

"Nothing's broken but he sprained and dislocated some bones. And, since he is sick, I will watch him like a hawk and already told him to not even dare and disobey my orders," the man replied and sat down with a smile at Michael. "Already up, my boy?"

"Have you seen Logan?" Rogue asked them and earned looks from the two men.

"He went upstairs after we arrived," Hank replied. "Why are you asking?"

"Because he wasn't upstairs," Ororo said and put Jaden down so that the boy could crawl on the ground with his siblings and Duke.

"Have you checked his old room?" Scott asked, sounding huskily, and received a nod from the redhead. "Your old one?"

"I doubt he would stay in her old room when he's still mad with her," Ororo replied as Logan suddenly entered the room. One look at him told her that he still was…

"Where have you been?!" Jean asked and looked at him but he walked just past her without looking back once. All he did was getting a bowl of muesli and sitting down next to Ororo to eat. Noticing that Michael had hopped off his stool and now stood with both arms raised next to his, Logan put the spoon aside and pulled the boy onto his lap after kissing his cheek. Seeing it and how his son held onto his nemesis, Scott looked down and tried his best to avoid looking into their direction at all. Jean bit her lip, never taking her eyes from her husband and son. She could feel that Logan was still more than mad with her. "Where…have you slept?" she carefully asked him and for the first time he met her eyes with an ice cold glare of his.

"What do you care?!" Logan snapped in a low growl and went on eating; his cold answer earning him a look from the boy on his lap.

Ororo kept on looking to and fro between the couple, noticed Jean's hurt look as much as she was aware of Logan's cold one. "Logan, I told you it was my fault. Not Jean's!" Scott said, ignoring the fact that the younger X-Men and Hank had no idea what he was talking about.

"Shut up!" was all Logan replied.

Being surprised to see his father in such a bad mood Michael looked at him first and then at his mother. "Why are you mad, daddy?" he asked innocently and Logan sighed, just to put the bowl away next.

"Ask your mom," he replied and pulled the boy from his lap to put his dirty dishes into the dishwasher next.

Watching him leaving and not knowing what was wrong or why is father acted so coldly, Michael began to pull a face and turned to his mother for help. "Is daddy mad with me?" he asked and was close to start crying.

"No," Jean shook her head and stroked over his head. "No, sweety, this has nothing to do with you." Turning around she gave Rogue and Ororoa look. "Would you guys please watch over them?" she asked and waited for their nods before she left the kitchen and used her powers to find out where Logan had gone. As soon as she knew she headed for his old room, where she knocked at the door and waited first, but realized soon that it was useless. He knew that she standing in front of it and wouldn't tell her to come in. So she opened the door carefully in the end and took a peak inside. "Can we talk?" Jean asked after spotting him at the window with his back to her and smoking a cigar. Something he hadn't done in months… She entered the room and closed the door behind her, still waiting for the tiniest reaction. "I'm sorry that I allowed him to kiss me," she said while coming slowly closer, her eyes never leaving his backside. She heard him giving a scornful snort. "I know I should have reacted sooner…"

Turning around he gave her a glare. "Yeah?!" he asked bitterly. "Well, I got the impression your tongue felt quiet at home in his mouth…" Seeing that she looked down, obviously feeling ashamed, he added "I heard you guys talkin'…"

"What do you mean?" Jean asked and furrowed her brows.

"So ya can't tell your ex that ya love me? You feel bad now coz ya haven't waited for him all your life to come back and that ya married me instead?!" he asked her angered.

"That's not true!" she protested but he cocked an eyebrow.

"Oh really?!" Logan asked and pulled on his cigar before he shook his head and turned to face the window again.

"Logan…," Jean said pleadingly and reached out to touch him, but withdrew her hand. She knew he hated to be touched if he was mad. And he truly was now. "You have to understand me, too," she said instead and wrapped her arms around herself. "I lost my fiancé due to an accident and thought he was dead, then I married you, am happy and all of a sudden he's staying in front of me again… I don't know what to think or how to act…"

"I've told you I'd let ya go if ya wanna go back to him…," he mumbled while chewing on his cigar in anger.

"I don't want to go back to Scott," she replied and shook her head, even if he couldn't see it.

"'n why?" Logan asked before he crossed his arms while he still glared at the pond in the garden.

"Because I love you…," Jean said and he turned, again one eyebrow cocked.

"I've seen that," he snorted. "Ya can't fool me, Jean. I know that ya love him, too."

Sighing, the redhead ran both hands through her face and sat down on his old bed. Looking at it, memories poured back into her mind. Memories of how they had gotten together. It had been in his room where he had refused to sleep with her because he didn't want to make the same mistakes with her than with his previous lovers, it had been his bed in which she had finally found rest after having one sleepless night after the next after Michael had been born and it had been in his bed where they had spent most morning just cuddling with each other. She missed those times already…even if it had been one night only without him next to her… "I don't know what I feel for him," Jean finally said and stroked over his sheets absently. One look was enough to tell her that his sheets were untouched. If he had slept in it, he wouldn't have cared to make the bed. So she knew that he hadn't spent the night here either. Somehow a strange feeling began to spread in her chest. One of which she didn't want to think further. She knew if it was what she was thinking about, she would get hurt in the end… "But I know that I am happy with you and that I don't want to miss you in my life." Meeting his gaze, Jean held it. "Please forgive me…," she begged him. "I would have never kissed Scott by myself. I couldn't react…"

Looking out of the window again, Logan remained silent for a while. "What about Mikey?" he asked and pulled on the cigar again.

"When did you tell him that Scott was his real father?" she asked back and kneaded her hands nervously.

"When he saw you standing at One Eye's tombstone," he grunted. "Mikey wanted to know what you're doin' and who was in that grave, so I thought it'd be the best to tell him the truth. He's a right to know…"

Nodding in understanding and thinking that it was actually more than sweet of him to not keep the truth from her son, Jean looked down and thought about his previous question. "Mikey still regards you as his father…," she replied.

"Still Scooter's his real one," Logan gave back and hid his pain that came with thinking about losing "his" boy.

"It's Michael's decision, Logan, if he wants to get to know Scott at all" she sighed. "But Scott can never replace you as Mikey's father. The boy loves you and is so attached to you… He was crushed when you left the kitchen and nearly started to cry since he thought you were mad with him…" Nodding and feeling bad about his behavior towards the boy, Logan turned to put out the cigar and close the window. "What about us?" she asked when he began to walk, but received a shrug only. "Logan, I'm sorry for hurting you so much…," Jean said again and got up. "I won't let Scott come between us, I swear!" she added sounding desperate but he looked away.

"Where's the triplet?" he asked instead and was still determined to avoid her gaze.

"Downstairs with 'Ro and Marie," Jean said and watched him nodding in silence before his hand touched the doorknob. "Logan…," she pleaded and took a hold of his arm. "Please…."

Still holding onto the doorknob, he gave her a look and noticed the tears in her eyes. He could see that she was truly sorry. At the same time, he was also more than hurt and felt betrayed by her. And the animal within him was still pissed that his mate dared to turn to another male. The Wolverine didn't accept it. He was the Alpha and if a stupid beta male tried to steal his alpha female from him, he would get rid of him. Closing his eyes, to silence his negative within his head, Logan met her emerald green ones next. He loved her, more than anything else. His love for her ran so deep by now that he would do anything to make sure she would stay with him. Still, he wouldn't play second fiddle. Not even for her. "Please forgive me…," Jean begged him again and entwined his hand with hers.

Logan looked at them and saw their engagement and wedding band on their ring fingers. "What do you truly feel for him?" he asked her barely audible and looked back into her eyes. His senses allowed him to pick up on emotions and lies. So he would be able to tell if she didn't tell the truth…

Jean shrugged. "I really don't know…," she said and shook her head. "But not the same as I feel for you…" Looking at him for a while, she added "I really won't allow that Scott comes between us and destroys what we have… I'd rather go away from here than letting that happen…" He looked down. "I'm really sorry, Logan…," she said again and bit her lip hard when the tears finally began to fall. "Please I can't lose you," Jean sobbed and wrapped her arms around his neck before she cried into his neck.

* * *

On the search for his dog Michael ran down the corridors until he heard voices. Knowing that Duke was always around people, he risked a look into the rec-room and, even if he didn't mean to, listened in to the conversation after hearing how his parents were mentioned.

"What do you think happens now?" Kitty asked and looked into the round. "I mean with Scott being back and Logan already throwing tantrums…"

"I'm rather curious what they will do about Michael," Bobby said while he leant back in the sofa and the boy looked at him; unseen from the group. "I mean Michael isn't Logan's son, but Scott's and when they are already fighting over Jean…"

"Well, if Scott is still as pissed off as I've seen him a few days ago…," Jubilee said while chewing on her gum. "…then I'll bet he will fight over custody. No way would he let Wolvie take care of his son."

"You think Scott would take Michael away from Logan?!" Peter asked her shocked but Michael didn't hear what was said next. The shock the news had just given him was just too much for him to handle. His heart was pounding strongly in his chest in fear. He didn't want that man, who was supposed to be his real father, to take him away from his daddy. He loved his daddy. It was always fun to be with him, be it in the pool or in the snow and he felt save and loved. He wouldn't want to go with someone who was a complete stranger. He wanted to stay here at home with his mommy and daddy and his siblings. Running out through the backdoor without even realizing it, Michael kept on running; his sight blurred by hot tears that were running down his cheeks until he fell over something and hit the ground hard. Sobbing even louder than before, he held his bleeding knee and looked around. All he could see were trees and scary noises around him. "Mommy?" Michael asked sniffing and startled when he picked up on some strange noises. "Daddy…?" Not knowing where he was or how to get back home, the boy pulled his fine leg close and sobbed.

**As I said…if I have an idea… And there it was. I just came up with the whole Michael scene at the end. So it'll be one more chapter. I hate odd numbers anyway. LOL Thanks to all reviewers!!! Let me know what you think and I will post the next chapter soon: ) See ya!**


	28. Chapter 28

**Author's note:** **Also those who are not members can review. Please do that!! ; ) **

**!! This tantra thingy was something Hugh himself had said after shooting The Fountain !! ; ) So I borrowed it from him. LOL**

**Don't forget, ya ain't alone, darlin' **

While she leant her head against his shoulder, had her eyes closed to listen to his steady heartbeat and had her arms wrapped around his neck and her legs around his waist, Jean rested against Logan and enjoyed just being so close to him. She inhaled his scent deeply while he sat in the same position on the bed like she did and held her as close as possible. Her eyes opened for less than a second to give the clock a brief glance and she sighed. It was already late. "They'll have dinner in about five minutes," Jean mumbled into his neck and he turned his head a bit to look at the object on the bedside table, too.

"Screw it," Logan grunted and leant his head back onto her shoulder.

"Well, we can't have them babysit for us the whole day through, hon," she sighed and cupped his face to kiss him gently. "And I'm hungry…"

Shrugging, Logan held her gaze. "Screw that, too… I can do without food…"

"Great pack leader you are, mister," she scolded him playfully. "I thought the alpha has to take care of his mate and cubs."

Sighing, Logan pulled her closer again and bit softly into her neck. "But the alpha doesn't want to now…"

"What else does he want?" she asked and ran her hands through his hair.

"He's happy with his current position and doesn't want to move," he mumbled into her neck and placed more kisses onto it.

"You'll leave a mark!" Jean squealed as he sucked on it.

"That's the point of doin't it, darlin'," Logan said and looked at the clock. He sighed loudly. No matter if he wanted or not they had to get up and go downstairs to check on their children. After talking their problem out for hours and discussing what should happen next, they had silently agreed on just staying upstairs and cuddle after Jean had mentally informed Ororo that they wouldn't come downstairs for lunch. But now, at nearly 6:30 p.m., they really had to, since they never left the children alone for such a long time. "I guess that's it…," he grunted and sighed once more as she suddenly began to laugh. Staring at her as if she was out of her mind, Logan cocked an eyebrow. "What?!" he asked her in confusion since he couldn't tell what was so funny all of a sudden.

"If someone saw us in that position, they'd think we'd lotus sex and that fully clothed," Jean giggled.

"Actually, darlin'…," he replied and shook his head. "…it's called tantra, but never mind."

She groaned and rolled her eyes. "Of course you know… Whatever!" she waved off. "So how do we solve our problem? I don't know how to get up…"

"Well, me neither," Logan shrugged and tried to free his legs from behind her back. "Your legs are too long," he grunted as she accidentally hit his ribs with her knee.

"Look who's talking!" Jean replied and sighed. "You know what?"

"We just stay here and try if tantra works fully clothed?" he asked hopefully and received a look for that remark. "Okay, tell me…"

Wrapping her arms around him again, she moved closer. "Roll us over," she demanded and waited for him to do so. When she had him on top of her and managed to free her legs she groaned next. "God, and now move, you're heavy!" Jean complained and pushed against his chest with both hands to make him move.

"All of a sudden someone's complainin', eh?" Logan mocked and rolled them over once more so that he could free his legs. "I'm crushed…," he mocked as she hopped off him and quickly raised his hand to catch the pillow she threw at him. Chuckling he got up and kissed her. "Then let's see what those ankle biters are doin'," he suggested and wrapped an arm around her waist to lead the way. Leaning into him, while one arm was wrapped around his waist, too, Jean smiled happily.

When they reached the kitchen they were already greeted by loud chattering and the babbling of their children, who kept the others busy. "Back under the living and breathing folks?" Ororo asked them and handed Rogue one more bottle.

"Mhm," Jean made and went over to kiss each of her children just to frown next. "Where's Mikey?" she asked and gave her best friend a look.

"I thought he was with you," this one replied. "He said he'd go upstairs to look for Duke."

"He wasn't with us," Logan grunted and turned to go and look for the boy on the upper level.

Ororo waited a moment before leaning in. "So everything's fine again?" she asked in a hushed voice in case that he was still close by.

"I think so," Jean shrugged and stroked absently over her girl's hair.

"Well…if you haven't managed to solve the problem after staying away for almost…" Ororo checked the clock on the wall. "…11 ½ hours…"

"'Ro!" the redhead said with a look and rolled her eyes. "We talked only, we discussed what we both want and now all I have to do is to wait for Scott getting better and talk with him. And then all three of us have to sit down together and talk with Mikey… It's up to him if he wants to get to know his real father or not. If the boy doesn't want to, then Scott has to accept that…"

"And what if the situation escalates between Logan and Scott like it did in the jet?" her friend asked. "They got physical in there…"

"Then we will go on honeymoon to Canada, which we still have to do, with the children and stay there for a while," Jean simply said. "We talked about everything that can happen… If Scott doesn't accept that Logan is Mikey's stepfather, or better said his father since he has been there from the beginning on, than he has to live with the consequences that we move away..," she explained and earned some surprised looks. "I told Logan before that I won't let him come between us and if it means going away from here, as hard as this will be,…then so be it… We are not willing to fill in a divorce after less than a year…" She looked up when Logan reappeared and frowned next as she saw how he put his leather jacket on. "Where are you going?"

"He's not inside," he replied and walked over to the backdoor.

"You mean Michael's outside?!" Jean said shocked and was about to follow him but he stopped her.

"Stay inside, it's too cold," Logan said and pushed her gently back into the warm kitchen. "I'll find him."

"But what's he doing on the outside in the dark?" she replied panicky and gave Ororo a look, but the woman shrugged. "Did someone see him leaving the house?!"

"If we did, we would have intervened, Jean," Hank said. "Maybe Logan is wrong and the boy is somewhere in the mansion and has fallen asleep…"

"Hank," the redhead said and sounded slightly pissed off. "Logan can smell if someone makes a pizza miles a way and can give you a list of all ingredients… If he says that my son isn't on the inside then he isn't!" Crossing her arms, she walked over to the window and looked out into the dark. She shivered. Not only from the brief moment that the cold air from the outside had touched her skin, also because she had a bad feeling and was scared like never before.

* * *

Remaining in the garden for a while with his eyes closed and his senses concentrating on his surroundings, Logan tried to pick up on Michael's scent. He heard an owl in the wood, how the wind played with the few remaining leaves in the trees and voices from within the mansion. But there wasn't any sign of the boy. Opening his eyes, he waited if the wind would shift and maybe carry a scent over from a different direction. Finally he began to walk and roam the grounds in search of the boy, always shivering due to the cold that slowly took over and even managed to find a way under his thick grey hooded shirt. When Logan reached the pond again, he sighed. It couldn't be that the boy was somewhere on the outside. Maybe he had already gotten back inside, unseen from him? About to turn and head for the backdoor again, he picked up on a strange noise inside the wood. Cocking an eyebrow he turned and let his eyes travel around in the darkness; his night vision allowing him to see everything as if the sun was still high in the sky. When the noise was audible again he began to run…

* * *

"What's taking him so long?" Jean sighed and ran a hand through her face. By now she was on the edge of her patience, the triplet already in bed and her heart was still beating strongly in fear for her son. Usually Logan found something or someone quickly, as accurate as a dog and he had never been wrong before. 

"I'm sure he's fine," Ororo tried to soothe her and laid a hand onto her best friend's shoulder while she waited next to the window with her. "What's wrong?" she asked as the redhead suddenly gasped.

"He wants to me to get a warm blanket and prepare a hot chocolate…," Jean said and fear echoed in her voice. "I knew something happened…"

Watching how she buried her face in her hands, Ororo squeezed her shoulder. "I'm sure he's fine…," she tried to soothe her. "I get a blanket and you prepare the chocolate, come on." Letting go of her she left the room while Hank had looked up and gave the redhead a worried look. "Did Logan say what happened?"

"No…," she shook her head and used her powers to make a hot chocolate, while she had both arms wrapped around herself and looked out into the dark. She was shaking in tension and fear. Just as Ororo returned with a thick woolen blanket, the back door opened and Logan came back in. "What happened?" Jean asked and jumped forward as she heard her son crying his eyes out. "Oh my God, he's freezing cold!"

"Take him," Logan said urgently and got rid of his jacket and shirt before he began to free the shaking boy from the wet and cold clothes. Pulling him as close as possible he gave Jean a sign to hand over the blanket, which he wrapped around himself and Michael as close as possible. Rubbing the cold skin of the boy, he rocked him slowly back and forth and tried to soothe him.

"What have you been doing on the outside?!" Jean asked her son and stopped next to her husband. "You know that you are not supposed to leave the mansion alone, especially not when it is dark. How often…"

"Jean!" Logan cut her off and shook his head. "Not now! Go upstairs and fill the bathtub with hot water." Exchanging a look with him while she was still in shock to see her little boy being hurt and hear him crying heartrendingly, she finally nodded and left the room. "It's okay…," Logan cooed and pulled Michael even closer.

"Where has he been?" Ororo asked worriedly and handed a cup with hot chocolate over. "Is he hurt?"

"In the wood," he grunted and took the cup from her. "His knees bleeding."

"Let me see," Hank offered and knelt down to take a closer look. "It's not that bad. Only a scratch."

"What have ya been doin' in the wood, kid?" Logan asked Michael in a calm voice even if he was everything but calm at the moment. If the boy hadn't lain sobbing on the ground he would have thought that he was dead. "What has gotten into ya to do this?"

"I…I don't know," Michael sobbed into his father's chest and still shook heavily. "I…I was sud…suddenly there…"

"But why did you run out of the mansion anyway?" Ororo asked him softly and watched how Logan gave the boy a bit of the chocolate to drink. "You know that children are not allowed to leave the mansion alone…" She stroked over the boy's damp hair and waited for a reply, as this one looked up at Logan with a tearstained face and choked.

"I…I don't want to go with him," he sobbed and made the adults frown. "I…I wanna…stay with you and mommy…"

"You don't wanna go with whom?" Logan asked him in confusion and went on rubbing the cold skin.

"With…with him…," the boy cried.

"Do you mean Scott?" Ororo asked since she had no clue who _him_ could possibly be. "Your father?"

"He's…n…not my father," Michael sobbed angrily and clung more to Logan again as his sobs became stronger. "Please don't send m…me away, daddy…"

"What makes ya think that, kid?!" Logan asked angrily and cupped the boy's wet face. "You'll stay with me and mommy."

"Logan," Jean said from the door. "The bath's ready."

Nodding, he pulled the boy close and got up to carry him to their rooms. While Michael was still sobbing into his neck and refused to let go of him, he was fuming and determined to smash the person to pieces who had told the boy such a shit. After being forced to climb into the bathtub with his pants on, since the boy couldn't be separated from him, Logan got rid of his soaked jeans with Jean's help and lay down next to the sobbing boy in their double bed.

"What happened?" Jean asked him after she, too, had lain down and watched how Logan still stroked through Michael's hair, even if the boy was already sleeping and clung to his arm with a strong grip.

"Someone told him that Scott would take him away from us, so he got scared and ran away," he grunted and tried to keep his anger within him. "And if I get my hands on that person…"

"Scott would never say such a thing to him," Jean said and shook her head. "He wouldn't take Michael away from us by force…"

"I didn't say it was him," he said with a glare that wasn't meant for her. "Besides Scooter hasn't talked to Mikey since we're back from that mission… I think I know who said it and if I get my hands on her that girl's history."

"Jubilee?" she asked and he nodded.

"Who else?" he growled and looked at the sleeping boy. "Do ya think the meds you've given him will prevent him from getting' sick?"

Reaching out to touch her son's cheeks and forehead she shrugged. "I hope he won't get a pneumonia or flu… For how long has he been out there anyway?"

"Probably a few hours," Logan shrugged. "As frozen as he was…"

"God, why haven't I noticed...?!" Jean cried and ran both hands through her face.

"Ya couldn't have… I didn't hear him cryin' either. There was too much goin' on at the same time," Logan tried to soothe her, but secretly felt guilty for not having noticed it, too. "C'mon we should try and sleep now. If he gets sick we'll have a lotta do…" Seeing her nodding, he kissed her after Jean had bent over her sleeping son and heard how she switched off the lights with her powers. Rolling onto his side Logan pulled Michael close and kept on stroking over the back absently. While he thought about how to kill Jubilee best on the next morning, he slowly drifted off into sleep.

* * *

When Michael awoke on the next morning he first panicked; thought he was still in the wood without anyone there to help him, where it was scary and so cold. But when he looked up and realized that he lay in his father's arms, who was still sleeping, he smiled happily and cuddled back into this one's warm embrace. Nevertheless, fear began to spread within him when he thought about what he had heard yesterday. Biting his lip hard, he snuggled deeper into Logan's arms and clung to his shirt, as he suddenly had to sneeze. "Hey…," Logan mumbled and looked at him through sleepy eyes. "What was that?" he asked and reached out to touch the boy's cheeks. "Well, at least ya have no fever… Still what ya did was stupid, kid!" he said in a hushed voice since he didn't want to wake Jean. 

"I didn't mean to run away," Michael said ashamed and snuggled closer.

"Did Jubilee say that your father would take ya away from us?" Logan asked and stroked through the boy's brown hair. Michael nodded slowly. "Listen,…that's not gonna happen,'kay? No one can make ya do anythin' ya don't wanna do."

"But…but they said that you are not my father and that…," Michael stuttered and sobbed.

"I know it ain't easy to understand for ya, Mikey," Logan tried to soothe him. "I might not be your biological father, but still you're my kid and I'm your dad. And nothin' can change that."

"So I don't have to go with him?" Michael sniffed and looked up.

"No, yer not goin' anywhere," Logan said and shook his head. "You'll stay here. And besides, Scott wouldn't take ya away from us."

"No?"

"No," he replied. "And besides…it's up to ya anyway if ya wanna get to know your real dad or not. No one can make ya." He looked at him for some time. "So what do ya think?"

Michael shrugged. "But…but what if he wants to…to go away from here and wants me to come with him?"

"First, he wouldn't do that. The mansion is his home, too. And second, if ya say no, ya don't wanna go, then it's no," Logan replied. "Understood?" Michael nodded but still didn't look too happy. Seeing it, Logan sighed. "Hey, you're my kid and nothin' will change that. And see it like that… Tell me a kid that can proudly say it has two daddies who can kick the butts of those who annoy ya, eh?" he asked and felt relieved when the boy giggled. "And who do ya want us to start with? That gossip-woman and her friends?"

"Hm…mommy," Michael replied and Logan cocked a surprised eyebrow.

"Mommy?! Why's that?" he asked.

"Because she made you mad…"

"Right…," Logan nodded. "Well…what can we do about that, hm?" he asked and both turned their heads to look at the sleeping woman next to them. Grinning all of a sudden, he nodded at his boy. "Let me get up and stay quiet!"

"What are you doing, daddy?" Michael asked and watched how his father disappeared in the bathroom and reappeared a bit later with a sly grin on his face.

"I always wanted to do that…," he said and did something the boy couldn't see. "Looks good, what do ya think?" he asked the boy, who began to giggle. "What about a shower?" he asked and went over to the bathroom again, this time followed by the boy.

When Jean woke up a bit later and stretched she furrowed her brows. She could neither hear Logan or Michael or the triplet in the next room. One look at the clock let her eyes grew wide. It was nearly time for lunch. "Damn…," she cursed and hopped out of bed to grab some fresh clothes, before she entered the bathroom next.

* * *

Downstairs in the kitchen, Logan watched over the crawling triple and the dog while he had lunch with the others. "Are you feeling fine sweety?" Ororo asked Michael, who nodded. 

"Well, except a cold, hm?" Logan added when the boy sneezed.

"As long as it is a cold only," Hank said with a look at them. "He could have been seriously ill after yesterday."

"Where's Jubes?" Logan grunted since he still waited for the girl to show up.

"They stayed up late, so I think she is sleeping in," Ororo told him. "Why are you asking?"

"Well, if she wants to still be alive tomorrow…keep her away from me," he growled and tried to keep his pissed off face when Jean entered the room.

"Hey," she greeted and came over with a smile. After kissing her children she placed a kiss onto his mouth. "Why didn't you wake me?" she asked and sat down next to him.

Exchanging a surprised look with Michael, Logan shrugged next. "It's weekend…"

"Hm… How are you feeling, sweety?" she asked her son next and began to eat.

"He's a cold," her husband replied and became suspicious. "But no fever up to now…"

Nodding, Jean went in eating her meal in silence. "Oh, could you do me a favor?" she asked Logan after a while.

"What?"

"I forgot Duke's new collar and wanted us to take a walk after lunch with him," she said. "Could you just get it from upstairs?"

Shrugging, Logan got off his stool and walked over to the door. He had just left the room as the others could hear a loud yelp. "What happened?!" Ororo asked aloud and sounded more than concerned. "Logan. Are you alright?"

All heads had turned to the door in shock and thought who knows what had happened, as Logan reappeared, eyes narrowed and dripping wet as if he had just been pushed into a lake. "Bitch!" he growled, referring to his wife, who laughed her head off.

She quickly jumped off her stool as he came quickly closer. "That's what you get if you mess with a telepath, mister!" Jean gave back and moved over to the other side of the counter. "And besides, what you did was far more evil!"

"Nope, it wasn't!" Logan grunted and pulled the bowl aside that stood right in front of him.

"No?" she asked with a raised eyebrow and crossed her arms. "You used my makeup to draw a snore into my face, Logan!"

He shrugged nonchalantly and smirked, while Ororo and some others stifled their laughs. "Couldn't resist," he said. "Mikey and I got bored…"

"Well, same here," Jean smiled evilly and dropped another glass of water onto his head that had floated behind his back. "Drowned dog!" she teased and heard him letting out a low growl before he suddenly jumped over the counter. Squealing, she turned around and escaped, followed by Logan, who chased her down the corridors.

"Remind me again…," Hank said with a look at the door. "…did the two of them count as adults?"

"Let them have their fun after all that fighting, Hank," Ororo smiled. "And since Logan is a father you know that he is a true child…"

Giving a laugh he nodded. "Oh yes, that's too true. Right, my boy?" he asked Michael, who nodded with a smile.

Upstairs Logan leapt and tackled his wife from behind. While she squealed and landed on the bed, he uttered a low growl and pinned her to it. "So ya think ya can tease me, eh?" he grunted and narrowed his eyes when she laughed. "I look as if I've just left the shower and ya dare to laugh?!"

"It's your own fault!" she gave back and still laughed. "What if I hadn't checked myself in a mirror, huh?"

"Then I'd have a lot of fun," he shrugged.

"Is someone screaming for more cold water here?" Jean asked.

"Don't even dare, darlin'!"

"Oooh…," she purred while he still held her in a strong grip. "My poor, poor hubby… Do I get punished now?" she mocked but frowned when he gave her a glare only. "What are you up to, Logan?"

Pinning her hands over her head to the bed, while his face was completely serious, he tilted his head a bit and shifted his weight on her. "Let's say…," Logan said huskily, almost in a growl. "…payback's a bitch, darlin'…"

* * *

"For how long is he already yelling at her?" Ororo asked and gave Jean a look who ran absently a hand through her hair. Both woman sat in the rec-room and watched over the triplet, while Michael and Duke where roaming the corridors. 

"You know, Logan," the redhead said. "Jubilee shouldn't have said what she did. It's not of anyone's business what our life looks like now that Scott's back. Who knows what could have happened to Mikey…"

Nodding, the weather goddess suddenly frowned. "What's that?" she asked and nodded at Jean's neck when the redhead gave her a confused look. "That on your neck…"

Touching the spot Ororo was looking at Jean blushed. "Don't tell me it's a hickey…," she sighed and rolled her eyes when her best friend wobbled her eyebrows. "I'm so going to kill him…"

"Oh come on," her opposite cooed. "He only marks his territory."

"'Ro!" Jean warned but only received a giggle.

"So I assume he had some fun after chasing you down, hm?" Ororo went on teasing her. "Well, never tease the Wolverine, Jean…"

"He started it!" the redhead protested. "It was him that used my eyeliner for his creative outburst and it was my face that he used as a canvas!"

"Sorry," apologized Ororo when she had to giggle again. "What do you expect from a father of four, huh? Men are children, Jean. It's a fact."

"Yeah, and I married the worst one of them," the redhead mocked.

"Ah, come on! You know that he only is like that with you. Let him have some fun," her friend replied and smiled at Jaden. "What did Hank and Charles say?" she thought out loud. "You bring out the best in him?" She met Jean's gaze when the woman looked up. "And it's true. Think about what Logan was like when he first came here. He was an asshole and arrogant beyond limits… Okay, he can still be, but not as worse as back then. He really changed for the better and is so sweet to you and the children."

"I know," Jean said and turned the rings on her finger absently. "But he has always been that way with me. He was never rude or arrogant when I was around."

"Maybe it was love at first sight?" Ororo cooed with a grin. "Hey, why not? Men have a heart, too… Sometimes…"

Both turned there heads when they heard the slamming of a door. "And next time I hear ya spreadin' such shit," they heard Logan barking. "…I'll cut out this fuckin' tongue of yours! And now get outta my sight!" Hearing how a sobbing Jubilee ran past the door and down the corridor, both women exchanged a look with each other.

"That was clear…," Ororo said impressed and turned her head when Logan entered the room.

"Hey," he greeted and sat down on the ground next to Jean.

"I'd bet your vocal cords need a healing factor on their own now…," this one remarked and made him snort.

"If that kid hadn't said straight in my face that it's Mikey's own fault if he gets only half of the things they's said," Logan grunted still pissed off. "…then I wouldn't have started yellin', would I?! And she can call herself lucky that I had myself under control, otherwise she'd be in the garden and diggin' her own grave now…"

"Calm down," Jean said and pulled him down into a kiss that lasted longer as she intended to, since he had grabbed her neck and deepened it.

Only shaking her head with a smile Ororo got up. "I think three is one to much," she said, unnoticed of the couple. "I'd say where you guys can find me, but I doubt you'd remember anyway…," she added and left the room.

Breaking the kiss after a while, Logan rested his forehead against Jean's. By now he'd forgotten about his fury and felt relaxed as ever. "Hm…," she smiled and he frowned.

"What's hm?" he asked and leant back a bit.

"You smiling is still something I'm not used to. That's all," Jean shrugged and he rolled his eyes. "No, stop making that face!" she said and wrapped both arms around his neck. "And besides, it's me who should make it. You left a hickey." Logan gave her a sly grin. "I knew it would work. That face is way nicer…"

"Beast," he growled playfully and pulled her onto his lap just to kiss her again.

**I finished this chapter at 3 a.m. something today. I decided to add another one and chapter 30 might be an Epilogue or something which takes place a bit later. Please review!! See ya!**


	29. Chapter 29

**Author's note:** **Also those who are not members can review. Please do that!! ; ) **

Okay, here it is: The last chapter to this story. I wanted to finish at least this one here before flying to the US. Actually I had planned to finish Changes, but this didn't work out. : ( But the ending to Changes is already written. ; ) Also some scene for the epilogue.

Okay, enough bla bla, enjoy reading this chapter and I hope you guys are fine with how I'll end this. Even if I have no clue at all right now. LOL I haven't pre-written the ending or any scenes from here except the bar scene (which happened in a X-Men comic!! And which will probably be the ending). Enjoy and please review!! Thanks to sammygirl for helping me out with the funny scenes and giving her opinion about them. : )

**Don't forget, ya ain't alone, darlin' **

"I don't know, 'Ro…," Jean said with furrowed brows. "I don't like a blonde Bond." She gave the man on the screen an unsure look. "Pierce looked way better. Right, hon?" she asked and kept on stroking through Logan's hair; this one lay outstretched on the ground with his head in her lap and one hand resting on her knee.

"Mhm…," he mumbled and heaved a deep sigh. It was again one of those movie days on which the girl's were allowed to pick the movie and the boys had to shut up and watch. But it meant also war. The first time he had taken part in it Scott had picked The Fast and the Furious for them to watch. It had been okay, except all that smooching and cuddling he'd done with Jean in between. The girl's revenge had been Gone with the Wind, whereupon Peter had chosen Rocky next. After being forced to watch Titanic, during which Logan had been forced to watch the love of his life sobbing into her fiancé's neck, he had picked Fightclub for the next time. The boys had been pleased, the girl's had either drooled because of Brad Pitt or yawned the entire time. But the worst came when Jean and Ororo had discovered their love for Hugh Jackman and his movies. It hadn't been enough that the two of them picked one movie after the next with him, no, every time the boys had picked a manlier movie with nice looking chicks, the girls had countered with real tear jerkers. Kitty had at least been so nice to pick a more or less new James Bond movie for tonight, but the girls had nothing better to do than to discuss the look of Mr. Bond himself. He couldn't care less… Not even the Bond girl looked hot, he thought.

"I like his car," Scott remarked and the others groaned. "What?"

"Of course you do," Ororo said with a shake of her head. "It's either the cars or the chicks for you guys…"

"Well, and for you it's either abs or pecs," Bobby remarked. "Besides, cars are way cooler!"

"And boring!" Kitty said with a roll of her eyes.

"Well, at least a car shuts up," he gave back.

"Guys!" Jean intervened. "The movie or go to bed!" she offered and the younger X-Men fell silent. She went on stroking through Logan's hair, which, and to her great surprise, was fluffy than ever since he hadn't used and gel or spray today to tame it. "But I'll bet he's more interested in the girls or cars either," she sighed and gave Ororo a look, unaware that Scott was watching her most of the time. "Right, hon?" she asked with a look back at Logan.

"Hm…," he mumbled and she began to frown.

"He's very talkative again, huh?" Ororo asked.

"No, he's sleeping," Rogue said with a look at the man behind her.

"He's what?" Hank asked and bent forward a bit. "I don't believe that."

Giggling, Ororo shook her head. "Well, the kids have done their job, huh?"

"So it seems," Jean nodded. "But no wonder. Since I'm teaching again, he has to chase after 3 one year old and a six year old all b himself. And as far as I've been told he had to piggyback them the whole day through…."

"Yeah, I caught him in the kitchen," Bobby smirked. "He already looked ready to jump out of the window by then."

"Hush, we wanna see the movie!" Kitty complained and glared at them.

Looking down on the man in her lap, Jean couldn't help but smile. She had seen it coming as drowsily as he had looked before. Lovingly, she stroked over his cheek and pulled the blanket with which they sat on the ground, more up. Even if she was his partner for a couple of years, she couldn't get enough from watching him sleeping. He looked so much an innocent boy, it was too fascinating for her. When she raised her head again she met Scott's gaze and held it for a while. She didn't now what else to do than to give him a weak smile, as something else caught her attention.

"Mommy," Michael said and suddenly stood in the door; rubbing his tiny eyes and clutching a teddy bear to his chest. Her _Logan-Bear_, as she remembered. The very one Logan had won for her on the street party in Manhattan they had visited on one date and which had ended in a snow fight at night, which again had alarmed the whole mansion. She could still laugh her head off if she remembered the faces of her friends who had stormed out of the mansion into the cold in their sleepwear. They had really believed the mansion had been attacked… "I can't sleep…"

"Why not?" Jean asked softly when the boy came closer. "Had a bad dream?"

"No…," the boy shook his head and gave Scott a brief look who was watching them.

"C'mere…," Logan suddenly said to the surprise of everyone and held the blanket up a bit, under which the boy disappeared and cuddled up to him.

"I thought you're sleeping," Rogue said and watched him.

Snuggling into Jean's lap again, Logan pulled Michael close and half onto his lap. "Hm…"

"Hm?" the girl asked with a look at Jean.

"He's sleeping," this one explained.

"But he just talked with him," Kitty said and had one eyebrow raised.

"Yes, I know," Jean nodded and now everyone looked at her in complete confusion; the movie already forgotten in the background. "He does such things. He's deeply asleep but notices things unconsciously and after saying something, he's completely gone again. Don't ask me how he does that. He either can't sleep or lies down and is gone within less than a second."

"Well, not only he is," Scott said and nodded at Michael, who was sleeping soundly on Logan's chest with the wolf in his arm.

"Unbelievable…," the redhead sighed. "'Ro, you need to help me waking Logan up after the movie. I don't intend to send him upstairs with my teke."

"Didn't you say he's very hard to wake up?" her friend asked. "I mean…what if he uses his claws?"

"He won't," she assured her. "But him being hard to wake up is the reason why I need your help… You'll understand why!"

* * *

After finally managing to wake Logan and pulling him upstairs with her, Jean closed the door and watched how he left Michael's room and just dropped onto the bed. "Don't tell me I've to undress you now," she sighed and went over to him. "Logan, come on. You can stay awake for three more minutes…" 

"I wanna sleep…," he mumbled, already being half in oblivion and Jean rolled her eyes.

"But not with your clothes on! And not in our bed!"

"Then get'em off…," he grunted and pulled the pillow close. Realizing that he was already sleeping again, the redhead shook her head and used her powers for help. After stripping him half naked, she undressed herself, too, and went under the sheets.

"Cavemen…," she cursed and switched the lights off. Snuggling into her comfortable pillows, she heard him rolling over in his sleep. Just as she became really comfortable and slowly drifted off to sleep, he reached out and both of his arms wrapped possessively around her. Hearing a cat-like purr that could have been mistaken for a soft growl from him, Jean knew who had taken his chance to sneak around Logan's defenses when he was asleep. "Wolverine…," she sighed and used her powers to soften his grip a bit. She surpressed the urge to roll her eyes. Wolverine was even worse than Logan; acting like a possessive dog defending a bone. Now that she felt tired and wanted to sleep, he wanted to cuddle. Or better said...her attention. "Logan!" Jean said a bit louder and turned around in Wolverine's strong grip to start shaking her husband. "Would you please wake up?" she asked in an almost desperate voice and groaned when all she got as an reply was another growl. While she gave him a push with her powers, Wolverine answered with a growl and rolled them over so that she was face down on the mattress and he sleeping on her back. "God, Logan...not again," she cursed as he bit softly into her neck, just to rub against her next. The last time he'd done this it had taken her a while to realize that he was asleep while doing it and to her surprise, Logan hadn't known what his negative had been doing. She knew the danger of him being too deeply asleep and losing control over the Wolverine, who again obviously enjoyed to come out to play when no one was there to stop him. She wouldn't mind if he wanted to cuddle only and just enjoy being close to his mate, if Wolverine wasn't more interested in satisfying his primal needs. "Logan!" Jean tried once more and pushed further. "Wake up or you can sleep on the ground," she threatened and added as Wolverine's hands began to roam "...or I'll send you flying out of that very window."

"Ow...," Logan whimpered and practically fell off her as he was hit by another hard nudge from her.

"Sorry...," Jean apologized when she realized _where_ she had obviously hit him hard. "I didn't aim for them..."

"What was that for?!" he asked through clenched teeth, while his hands covered his family jewels and he'd pulled his legs close; tears visible in his eyes."Are ya nuts or somethin'?! This fuckin' hurt..."

"I said I was sorry," she said once more. "But you were so deeply asleep that your best pal acted on his own again."

"So what?" he snapped, his voice muffled by the pillow he had pressed his head against as he still waited for the pain to fade. Sometimes he wished adamantium wasn't only covering his bones... "Let him've some fun..."

"Not when I'm tired," Jean protested and pulled her pillow in a more comfortable position again. "And besides...I'm not some kind of meat."

"Hmpf," he made, which was supposed to be a snort and rolled onto his back. Usually he preferred to sleep on his belly, but doing it now wasn't such a good idea, he figured. "Great..."

"What?" she asked and opened her eyes again.

"Now I have to listen to him complainin' about his rude mate and that mate hurt him bad... Well done!" Logan snapped and, against better judgement, rolled over onto his belly. "Now I can't sleep anymore..."

Sighing, Jean rolled over and placed a gentle kiss onto his bare shoulder. "Does it still hurt?"

"What do ya care?!" he growled and pulled his pillow closer. "How would ya feel if you're finally able to sleep and someone kicks your balls?"

"I don't know, I don't have any...," she replied before she could stop herself and he turned his head to shoot a glare at her.

"Think that's funny, darlin?" Logan growled. "Because hearin' him in my head ain't!"

"Then tell him I'm sorry," Jean shrugged and looked back at him. "What's he saying anyway?"

"You really wanna know?" he asked with a cocked eyebrow after raising his head a bit from where it hasd rested in the pillow. Seeing her nodding, he tilted his head a bit. "Sure?"

She groaned. "Yes? It can't be that bad, can it?"

"Well, it depends if your willin' to fulfill his demand, darlin'," he said nonchalantly. "He'd be willing to make peace with you again, if you'll do him a favor..."

"Which is?"

"Takin' care of his injury?" Logan said with a hidden sly grin.

Looking at him for a while, the redhead rolled her eyes only and rolled around so that her back was towards him. "Good night, Logan!"

"Well, it's you who'll have a problem at night...," he shrugged and turned his back to her. In his head he counted from ten backwards and smirked.

"Why...?" Jean asked after a moment.

"Oh, nothin'...," he teased her and heard how she sat up in bed.

"Come on, tell me. What will he do?" she pressed and he turned around with a complete serious look.

"Oh let's say...," he said and shrugged. "He'll get pretty...devoted..."

"More than before is impossible, Logan!" she gave back. "By the way, I'll put you on diet. You're way too heavy."

"That's called muscles and adamantium, darlin', but never mind," he grunted and crossed his arms. "Besides, it's you girls that start droolin' all over my butt..."

"In your dreams, hon!" Jean said with a laugh and shook her head.

"Well, I can test it on...let's say 'Ro?" he asked provokingly and received a warning look for it. "If it ain't true, you've nothin' t'fear, right?"

"How about me flirting with Scott then?" she asked back and rolled over so that she lay on her side and supported her head with one arm. "I'd bet you would enjoy seeing this..."

"Ts," he snorted and she was convinced that there was a glint of jealousy in his eyes. Neither of both said anything for a while until he sighed. "Now I'm awake thanks to ya crushing my balls..."

"Well, therefor you crushed me before...," she shrugged. "So, we're even..."

"Yeah?" Logan asked doubtfully and cocked an eyebrow at her. "That's what you think!"

"Well, there wasn't much to damage anyway...," Jean mumbled and his head jerked aside.

"NOT much to damage?!" he asked her outraged. "NOT much?!"

Realising that he had gotten it all wrong, she corrected herself. "I meant it will heal anyway, doesn't it?" she asked but he narrowed his eyes. "I didn't mean that you don't have much, Logan, we both know that this isn't true, okay?" she hoped to save the situation, but he twitched both eyebrows and turned around. "Come on, don't be such a sourpuss now," Jean said and rolled her eyes. "Don't tell me you're offened, Logan?" she asked but all he did was pulling the sheets higher until they nearly covered his ears. "God... You are so childish, do you know that by the way?!" she snapped and lay back down. Fuming for a while, an evil smile suddenly appeared on her lips. "Or maybe I hit a nerve and the _big_ bad Wolverine isn't that...," Jean began and let out a squeal as he suddenly leapt at her from behind.

* * *

Early on the following morning, Scott sat alone in the kitchen and starred at his coffee mug, which he had in front of him. He hadn't slept at night. Not really. His thoughts had kept on drifting off to how peacefuly and happy Jean had seemed to be on the evening before. He had watched her the whole time through through his glasses. One advantage of being forced to wear them was that the others could never tell what he was looking at. He hadn't cared for the movie. He could hardly remember which Bond it had been. All he remembered was how Jean's hand had stroked through Logan's hair with this dreamy and happy smile. Something he had never seen on her lips when he'd been with her. A smile, okay, but the smile she'd given Logan had looked like something special. Not something they'd shared as far as he rememeberd. With a sigh he swallowed a bit of the liquid as he saw something moving at the door. Looking up in a rush, Scott saw how Michael stood there. "Hey, already up?" he asked since he couldn't think of something better than that. He still felt thrilled and nervous like hell when he met the boy alone. He still couldn't believe that he was his... Since he got a nod only as an answer, he tried it with a smile. "Are you hungry?" 

"Thirsty," the boy replied and held the teddybear close to his chest.

"What do you usually drink?" Scott asked and got off his stool. "Chocolate milk?" He turned his head while his hand held the cupboard door open. Receiving a nod, he gave one back. "Okay..."

Climbing on a free stool, Michael watched how Scott rummaged through cupboards until he had found what he was looking for. He didn't know what else to do than clunging to his teddy; the fear of the man that was supposed to be his real father was still to great that he could cope with it.

"Here," Scott suddenly said and put a cup in front of him, before he sat down opposite of the boy. He was still curious to find out if the boy had any resemblance with him at all. Up to now he'd figured the hair- and eyecolor were his, but he hardly knew the boy to be able to tell something about his character. "Is something wrong?" he asked when Michael only stared at the cup.

"It's daddy's cup," the boy replied and pointed at the three parallel and tiny scratches at the front.

"Ah, he won't mind," Scott waved off and looked at the boy when he sipped on the milk. "Good?"

"Daddy always puts a marshmellow in it," his opposite said and Scott's heart clenched painfully. He couldn't hide that it hurt him that his son referred to the man he never liked much as _daddy_. He also couldn't get used to the fact that this certain man was now the husband of his love of his life or that he had three own children with her. He wondered how Logan had managed to sneak into Jean's heart, how a man without manners, a rude nature and addicted to cigars and alcohol and probably women and sex, too, had won the heart of someone as perfcet as Jean? Scott often tried to convince himself that they had probably married only because of the children. Maybe the Professor or someone else had demanded it of Logan or talked him into it, but he saw no way that Logan would have taken this huge step on his own accord...

"What are you thinking about?" Michael suddenly asked, since the silence of the man scared him.

"Hm?" Scott asked back after awoking from his daydream. "Oh...nothing..." He looked at the boy again. "I was only thinking about your mom..."

"Why?" Michael asked curiously.

"It's nothing, really...," Scott waved off. "Is she still sleeping?"

"Yeah," the boy nodded. "She does naked cuddling with daddy..."

"Oh...," Scott nodded and blushed a bit. "Ehm...well, parents do that sometimes, you know..." Seeing how the boy nodded, he nodded, too. Feeling slightyl embarassed, Scott cratched the back of his head. "What're your siblings names by the way?"

"Jenny, Jake and Jaden," Michael said, sounding proud. "Jenny and mommy are outnumbered says daddy and Jaden was very sick and mommy and daddy kept him a secret, but now he feels better. He likes to throw things at Jenny."

"I wonder where he got that from...," Scott mumbled knowingly and swallowed the last bit of his coffee. He looked up in surprise when Jean eneterd the kitchen, dressed in one of Logan's worn-out shirts. "Hey...," he greeted her and felt how his heart began to beat faster.

"Hi," she smiled back and went over to place a kiss on Michael's forehead. "Already up?" she asked both men and went over to pour herself some coffee.

"Yeah, couldn't sleep," Scott replied.

"Would you go upstairs and get Duke, dear?" Jean asked her son. "He needs to use his toilet." Nodding, the boy jumped off his stool and stormed off. Scott watched how Jean ran both hands through her face and yawned.

"Had a rough night?"

"No, actually not," she waved off. "But we had get up around 3 because the triplet wanted our attention."

"Cute names...," Scott remarked and earned a confused look from her. "The ones the triplet have. Who picked them?"

"Mikey did. Oh, and Logan or I picked Jake," Jean explained and he nodded. "Hank suggested we should call him Jacob. Would you believe that?"

"Well, it's Hank...," he smiled. "Why was Jaden sick? Michael just told me..."

"It's complicated," she said. "Logan and I knew about twins as Hank found out when I was around six or seven months pregnant that one of the babies didn't developed further, while the other had a cardiac defect."

"Oh...," Scott made in surprise. He hadn't reckoned with that. "I'm sorry to hear that They looked pretty gealthy to me actually..."

"They are," she smirked. "The cardiac defecet was Jenny, who had been hidden behind the boys. Nevertheless, Jaden was underdeveloped and Hank had told us that it was unlikely he would be born alive. Moira had managed to reanimate him, but then they told us that his lungs didn't work on their own..." While she talked Scott was watching her from aside. He didn't even dare to imagine how horrible it must have been for her. "Well, they said they would wait three days, if nothing would change, they would pull the trigger..."

"But the boy became better?" he asked and was surprised when she shook her head. He saw the sadness within her eyes.

"No," Jean replied. "On the third day, Hank knocked on our roomdoor and said it was time. I couldn't do it. I told Logan that I couldn't go and watch my own baby dying, so he went downstairs alone and sent Ororo to stay with me..." She paused to bite her lip. "When he came back.. Well, I'd seen that he had been crying so I thought it was over. That our son was dead. But then he said Jaden was breathing on his own. I did something horrible then..."

"And what?"

"I'd been so ready for him to tell me that we lost our baby, but then he told me that Jaden was alive," she went on. "I didn't believe him. I accused Logan of being a liar and having exchanged the babies..."

"It must have been the shock," Scott said in understanding. "I mean...thinking that you lost a baby you carried for some months within you...that's tough. What happened then?"

"Logan left and Ororo convinced be that I was being stupid. So I went to the ICU and Logan helped me to care for Jaden. I couldn't even look at him without feeling ashamed of saying such rude things... I mean, Logan loves his children. He'd never do such things..."

"He's a good father then?" he asked without looking at her.

Remaining calm for a second to take a closer look at him, Jean nodded. "Yes. Logan is very gentle and caring..."

Nodding, Scott sighed. "You know... I'm sorry for being such an ass to you. I know it was wrong to kiss you, but..."

"It's okay," she waved off with a shake of her head.

"No, it isn't," he disagreed. "It was ridicolous of me to believe that you haven't moved on. I knew if you did, than with him, but... It was so hard to accept it. All those years since he set a foot into this school, I feared to lose you to him. You stayed faithful and then such a stupid accident destroyed everything we had..." He heaved a very deep breath to calm his nerves. "It just hurts... I have seen how you looked at Logan yesterday. There's something in your eyes when you look at him that we never had..."

"What do you mean with that?!" Jean asked him in confusion.

"I can't explain it...," Scott replied and shook his head. "It's like...a mutual bond. One that runs so deep that it is more than...love...more than a connection. It's like..."

"...soulmates," she concluded.

"Yeah, something like that...," he nodded.

"Well...," she began and heaved a deep, slow breath. "...actually it's what I've seen in Logan from the first moment I saw him."

"That he was your souldmate?" he asked her skeptically. "He attacked you and nearly choked you, Jean!"

"I know, but still there was this mutual, deep connection," Jean explained. "I looked into his eyes for the first time and it seemed to me as if we knew each other. As if we had been best friends before and had lost contact to each other... I really can't explain that..." She saw that he only nodded and stared at his cup. "Scott..."

"Then why did you stay with me?" he asked bitterly.

"Because I loved you."

"Lov_ed_ me? So it's already past tense?"

Jean sighed. "You know that I still love you but not like before. Not like my partner," she explained. "I will always love you as much as before, just in a different way..."

"Can I ask you something?" he interrupted her before she could go on. It just hurt too much.

"Sure..."

"Who talked Logan into marrying you?"

"No one...," she replied and furrowed her brows.

"So he asked you all by himself?" Scott asked in disbelief.

"Yes," she nodded. "He was even scared to death I'd say no. He doesn't know that I heard everything he had said within his mind. But he really was afraid that I would reject him..."

"Ts...," he made and shook his head. "Unbelievable..."

"Scott," Jean said and touched his arm. "Logan is not whaty ou think he is. He really changed. You know I wouldn't have married him if he was a selfish bastard that thought about his interests only. He's not like that! For him I and the children come first and he really tries to be the man I deserve. At least that's what he calls it... He's good to me and the children and if he hadn't watched over me after you "died"... I don't know what I'd done." She stopped for a moment to look at him. "Logan once lost his partner to Sabretooth, he knew what I'd been going through and he never tried to win my heart. That wasn't his aim. It just happend... He even rejected me when I wanted to go further and told me he didn't want to do the same mistakes he'd done before. Not with me... So please try to see the man Logan really is in him," she begged and hardly saw hiw weak nod as she turned her head to smile at Michael, who just came back, fully dressed with Duke. "Stay where I can see you, okay?" she said and kissed him, before she stopped at the backdoor and watched her son playing with his dog; unaware that Scott wiped away a single tear from his cheek...

* * *

A few days later Scott sat in a bar somewhere in New York and stared at his empty beer bottle. It was at least his 4rth if not 5th one and he still feeled like drinking more. The last days had been hell on earth. He had tried, really tried to follow Jean's advice and see what she saw in Logan, but he couldn't, or wouldn't. The worst thing, and he knew that it was true because otherwise he wouldn't sit here and swallow one beer after the next, was that Logan had changed. He had seen it while watching him joking around with Jean, he had seen it while the man had piggybacked "his" son around the mansion and he had seen it, too, when he had caught him one day in the red-room where Logan had watched over the triplet. Watching a man with his kids wasn't such a weird thing. But watching Logan, a man who looked like a werewolf who had escaped a Frankenstein horror movie, sit in a blanket with three toddlers and being so ridicolously caring and gentle... It had been too much, way too much for Scott to handle. 

So now he sat here in a bar that was so much more a thing for Logan and emptied one beer after the next. He didn't know what to do with his life anymore. He felt lonely, despensable and not wanted anymore and all what he felt like doing was to get drunk, even if he didn't feel the alcohol at all...

"How about somethin' real?" a gruff voice asked next to him and a full vodka bottle was put in front of Scott's face.

"How did you find me?" this one asked with an annoyed sigh and sipped on his beer.

Logan shrugged and sat down opposite of him. "Wasn't that difficult..." Scott only snorted and emptied the bottle. "So... Ready for a drinkin' contest gainst me?" he asked and shook the vodka bottle in his hand.

"Even you can't drink all of that," his opposite replied and looked at the liquid. "To hell with that..."

"'kay," Logan smirked and filled the glasses.

Emptying one glass after the next the began with the second one after a while. While Scott had leant back in his seat and stared holes into the glass in his hand, Logan watched him carefully and heard him sighing aloud. "You know what?" the man asked him and Logan guessed that he was now looking at him. "Life's a real bitch!"

"I'm the wrong one to tell that, bub," he replied and emptied his glass quickly; felt it burning down his throat.

"You know...," Scott said and pointed a finger at him. "Seeing her with you wasn't a surprise... I knew it would happen..."

"Yeah?"

"Yeah!" he nodded. "You always wanted to bed my girl, so no surprise there," he babbled. "But you know what the big shock was?"

"What?" Logan asked, emptied one glass and filled both ones again, just to see how Scott's finger pointed once more at him.

"That an asshole like yoz git the balls to marry a girl! Guys like you fuck them and throw them away, but they never tie down to one of them, so yeah..." He nodded and emptied his glass. "...it was a shock... And of course one baby isn't enough for the big, purring Wolverine... No...it had to be three..."

"Wow...," his opposite nodded impressed. "Someone really made bad experiences with guys like me, huh?" He startled a bit when Scott suddenly slammed bith hands onto the table and leant over to him.

"Hurt her and I skin you alive, Logan!" he hissed and made the man cock a surprised eyebrow. He would have sworn that he had never seen Cyclops being so...scary. Or at least trying to be it. "And I'll use a spoon!" he added while sitting down and emptying the next glass.

"A spoon?!" Logan asked him with furrowed brows.

"Yeah!"

"Why a spoon?!"

Thinking about it while his eyes were fixed on the glass, Scott shrugged. "Don't know... Sounded good..."

"You're drunk, Summers," Logan remarked and filled their glasses again.

"No, I'm not!" the man replied.

After a third bottle was nearly empty, Logan spent most of the time looking at the man in froint of him and asking himself what he was thinking. He knew why he had come to find Cyclops, but he still tried to figure out why the man was in a bar that was more one of those Logan usually spent nights in. Or better said, had spent nights in before he'd married Jean. Thinking that he should better start talking about what he came for soon, he quickly emptied his glass and began. "Look... Mikey's your kid. He should get to know his real father, he said and earned as snort.

"Well, you took over my role, pal. No way you gotta disappear out of my son's life!" Scott warned.

"That's not what I meant!" Logan gave back with a roll of his eyes. "Mikey should know where he comes from, who his real father is," he explained. "There's no way I'd leave him! I love him like my own son and I raised him up to now, so there's no way I'd give him up, Summers! You can get to know him if Mikey wants to and spent time with him, but Jeannie is no longer your girl, so keep that in mind and stay away from my wife!"

Returning Logan's glare, Scott raised the glass a bit. "She's only your girl becase I was out of the picture, asshole!" he hissed and drank the rest that was in the glass.

"Yeah, but still she's my girl now..., One Eye," his opposite replied and filled the glasses again.

Scott answered that gesture with emptying it before he stared at the glass again. "You know... As long as Jean's happy with a jerk like you...," he began and shook his head. "But mark my words, Logan! If you hurt her..."

"Don't get your hopes up too much, Prettyboy, coz that won't happen," Logan cut him off with a glare.

"Whatever...," this one shrugged and another glass was gone. "I won this drinking shit anyway. I'm not drunk and you're babbling."

"Mhm...," Logan nodded and crossed his arms while he watched how Scott got up.

"See?" this one said and pointed a finger at him. "That's exactly what I mean! So much to your oh-so.perfect healing factor..." He snorted and made one step, which was carefully watched by his fellow teammate, and crashed into anothetr table close by which fell to the ground.

Logan only shook his head and chuckled, listened to the snoring sounds Scott made and emptied the bottle all by himself. Afterwards he put some money onto the table and got up. "Ya gonna wish to have one later, bub," he said and pulled the still snoring Scott over his shoulder, before he left the bar with him and carried him back home; feeling somehow relieved that the boundaries between them were defined and he could go on living the family life he had learned to love so much in the past years without his nemesis interferring. Nevertheless, Logan smirked, he was secretly happy that he could finally banter and fight with someone again. Having some difficulties first, he finally managed to pull Scott into the van, which he'd borrowed from Xavier, and drove back home to hi family, knowing that the fun had just begun...

**The End**

**That was it, the very last chapter. It 3 minutes past midnight here and I haven't slept more than two hours last night. I am already scared shitless when I think about boarding that plane in a bit more than 12 hours. : ( I really hate flying but have to do if for my English studies. I am sorry if here are wrong written words inside this chapters. I wrote the first 6 pages on my laptop which can check the spelling. Since my ****PC harddrive crashed and I had to get a new one, the Word on it hasn't got the spelling checking thingy yet, so everything after this 6 pages might contain misspelled words. I'm sorry for that. Thanks to everyone who has read and reviewed. You guys are so great!!! First I thought only three people would read it since there weren't so many reviews and all of a sudden there they were. : ) I never expected to receive so many for this one here. Thank you!!! It's a pitty I didn't manage to finish Changes before I fly though. : ( I will take all my handwritten stuff with me, which is a lot, and try to type in the US. I also have four rough sketches and some scenes for 3-4 new stories. Maybe I can do them there, too. At least when the plane arrives safely... Did I mentioned that I hate flying? LOL Hope you had fun reading and I would be happy if you'd read my other stories, too. I'd be happy to get a few more opinions to **_Finally_** and **_Logan's secret_**, because they were so different from what I've written so far. They are my first death and humor fic. So if you have the time, please read and review. ; ) Enough babbling. Wish me luck and keep your fingers crossed for me!!! Thanks again! See ya!!!**


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